Determined Mozart

One wonders why. 

​Why record more Mozart symphonies? What’s special about these that merits a recording of them? BIS is apparently embarking on a complete cycle with clarinet player-turned conductor Michael Collins and the Philharmonia Orchestra. So let’s give this a listen and see what's special about Michael Collins on the podium.
 
Focusing on the outer movements, these readings are certainly vigorous but not necessarily invigorating. They sound rather driven and lacking in charm and finesse. And BIS emphasizes this impression with boisterous recorded sound, slimming down the Philharmonia's usual body of tone. This sounds more like a chamber orchestra to me; indeed one would never guess this is the Philharmonia Orchestra.
 
I find this odd. This is one of the best orchestras in the world which could never possibly be described as sounding “thin”. So why do they sound that way here? I perceive a sufficient number of strings, and Collins mercifully does not insist they play with any suggestion of “period performance” techniques. Thus the strings (and woodwinds) play with vibrato. But I miss warmth. Tempos are very swift (which under normal circumstances would be a good thing) but there isn’t a joyful impetus to them. Speeds are fast merely because the conductor is beating time that way. 

However, the inner movements fare better. Collins relaxes his grip on the rigid tempos, allowing various solos and instrumental choirs time to shape musical phrases. The playing gains expressiveness, though I still miss a sense of singing lines. For even here, there is a matter-of-fact directness which merely gets to the point and moves on to the next bustling Allegro. 
 
As a whole, I would describe Collins' way with these symphonies as determined rather than inspired. This is vigorous, heartless, no-nonsense Mozart which is rather lacking in sheer joy. The Philharmonia dutifully plays all the notes with expert precision at the speeds in which they are led, but the orchestra lacks much of the warmth and color we expect from them. The stunning immediacy of the recorded sound tends to exacerbate this effect, highlighting the whiplash dynamics and hard banging timpani - emphasizing the noisy, busyness of the scores. Whether this is all Collins' doing, or the BIS engineers, or the slightly dry hall acoustic - I cannot say. I suspect it's a concerted combination of all three.

One wonders why Collins decided to record this series with the Philharmonia rather than the orchestra he most often conducts, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. If he's intent upon making the Philharmonia sound like a chamber orchestra, then why bother with them at all? In a very crowded field, I was attracted to this new recording primarily because it is played by the Philharmonia Orchestra. But this is far from big-band Mozart. And frankly, there are countless other recordings played by true chamber orchestras which offer a more rewarding musical experience than this - if that's what you're looking for.