These 1987 digital recordings showcasing principal players from the London Philharmonic have plenty to recommend them. The performances are accomplished and the recorded sound, if slightly soft-grained and bass-light, is pleasingly balanced. CFP provides attractive packaging and informative, unpretentious booklet notes, making this series (derived from EMI masters) a keen contender among the growing number of entry-level labels. The highlight is Gordon Hunt’s performance of Mozart’s K. 314 Oboe Concerto, marked by fluid phrasing, expert breath control, and a bright, clear tone that’s perfect for this work. Hunt is particularly fine in the central Adagio, in which his seamless playing is superb. Just as impressive is the brisk, pointed approach he takes in the closing rondo. Snappy rhythms and crisp key-work, combined with idiomatic cadenzas by John Wallace, contribute to an exemplary performance.
Flutist Jonathan Snowden is heard in the G major concerto, K. 313. Here, you’ll note a certain lack of directness and authority if you hear this account side by side with that of Karlheinz Zöller, who performs with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Bernhard Klee in a 1972 DG recording. Snowden takes slower tempos, so the Adagio (running close to 10 minutes) begins to cloy. Zöller finds more expressive scope here and varies his dynamic level and vibrato more effectively, and thus his slow movement sounds eloquent rather than tired.
Snowden partners LPO harpist Caryl Thomas in Mozart’s Concerto in C for flute and harp. They give a poised, often exuberant reading, inviting comparison with the 1962 DG version by Zöller and Nicanor Zabaleta, with the Berlin Philharmonic under Ernst Märzendorfer. This CFP version is better recorded, and the soloists aren’t so forwardly balanced as on the DG disc. Another plus is that Litton’s supporting LPO forces are reduced, as befits the intimate nature of the piece, especially its flowing andantino.
Overall, CFP’s reissue is an admirable choice, having added interest in the form of the Oboe concerto (DG offers two flute concertos) and generally finer sonics. The flute and harp concerto receives a performance that doesn’t eclipse DG’s classic (the only flaw is that the orchestra sounds far too large) but complements it well enough to warrant getting both recordings if you particularly enjoy this work.
