Back in the early days of stereo, there were those who argued, and argued very persuasively, that
George Szell and the
Cleveland Orchestra were the greatest Mozart orchestra/conductor combination in the world. Despite those who proclaimed the smooth refinement of
Karajan and the
Berlin Philharmonic and the deep humanity of
Böhm and the
Vienna Philharmonic, they'd assert that
Szell and the
Cleveland were just as refined but with more color and depth and that they were as humane but with more wit and warmth. And with evidence like the performances reissued here, who could disagree with them? With performances originally recorded between 1958 and 1968, this program of Mozart's Overture to Le nozze di Figaro, Eine kleine Nachtmusik Serenade, and Symphony No. 28, No. 33, and No. 35 mixes better and lesser known works. In
Szell and the
Cleveland's performances, every work is supremely poised, exquisitely polished, and as close to absolutely perfect as makes no discernible difference -- in other words, pure Mozart performances of the highest order. Columbia's original stereo recordings were too tall, thin, and narrow; Sony's 2006 digital remasterings are full, warm, and deep.