Desert Island Classics #5: Mozart's "Jupiter" Symphony
Symphony no. 41 in C major "Jupiter"
Desert Island Classics #5
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony no. 41 in C major “Jupiter”
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (b. 1756 – d. 1791) is one of the most acclaimed and well-known composers of all-time. The subject of movies and many biographies, Mozart is very much a household name in music and it is safe to say he is one of the most popular and most influential composers in history. Mozart composed symphonies, operas, concertos, chamber works, and choral masterpieces. He is regarded, along with Beethoven, as the pinnacle of the “classical” music period in music history (although Beethoven straddled both classicism and romanticism, at least in his late period).
The height of Mozart’s symphonic genius is heard in his final mature symphony, Symphony no. 41 in C major, “Jupiter”. The Jupiter moniker was not Mozart’s own, but is rather thought to have been given to the symphony by either German impresario Johann Peter Salomon, or English music publisher Johann Baptist Cramer. Jupiter refers to the god of sky and thunder, the king of gods, and so the opening chords of the symphony reminded some of thunder and lightning.
Symphony no. 41 “Jupiter” was the last of a series of three symphonies written by Mozart, all of them during the summer of 1788. Symphony no. 39 in E-flat major and Symphony no. 40 in G minor are both highly regarded and popular in their own right, and some scholars have argued that Mozart had some sort of grand plan for the symphonies to form a unified larger work. The acclaimed conductor and scholar, the late Nikolaus Harnoncourt, makes this claim and cites as evidence that No. 39 has a grand introduction, but No. 41 does not. Yet, No. 41 does have a grand finale. We will probably never know for sure, just as it has never been determined definitively whether the symphony was performed during Mozart’s lifetime. Completed a few years before his death, it is doubtful Mozart believed these would actually be his final works in the symphonic genre. Sadly, as we know, Mozart would not live to see his 36th birthday.
No. 41 “Jupiter” follows the standard symphonic form from the classical era, in four movements:
Allegro vivace
Andante cantabile
III. Menuetto: Allegretto
IV. Molto allegro
Music program annotator Michael Clive briefly describes the symphony:
“The symphony’s opening movement has a sound that is emphatic and deep, yet there is also a sense of gladness that pervades it. Critics have noted the sense of authority that pervades the symphony from the outset and never gives way, yet its thematic materials and their development never push us toward pessimism. Its second movement is gentler and more subdued, and while it makes excursions into minor keys, the prevailing tone remains positive. The third movement, a traditional minuet, prepares us for the final movement’s bold energy. One of the symphony’s most analyzed features is its signature coda, strident and shocking yet somehow perfectly appropriate and beautiful.”
Some consider Mozart’s Jupiter symphony to be one of the greatest symphonies ever written (as I do), and along with his opera Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) I consider it to be the apex of his entire compositional output. More specifically, the Finale of this symphony is where Mozart brings out all his considerable genius and experience to create a movement that is an absolute marvel of counterpoint, fugue, and melody (remember counterpoint is where contrasting melodies are set over the top of one another, and a fugue is a technique characterized by the systematic imitation of a principal theme (called the subject) in simultaneously sounding melodic lines). In my opinion, it is as close to perfect as music can be in this lifetime. The Finale contains no less than FIVE major themes that are weaved together at various points, and then all of them are put together in the “fugal coda” leading to the end of the final movement. It is breathtaking and completely satisfying in a way that few other pieces of music have even approached. The famous composer Robert Schumann said of it, “About many things in this world there is simply nothing to be said,” he wrote – “for example, about Mozart’s C-Major symphony with the fugue, much of Shakespeare, and some of Beethoven.”
English engineer and music commentator Sir George Grove said of the Jupiter symphony: "it is for the finale that Mozart has reserved all the resources of his science, and all the power, which no one seems to have possessed to the same degree with himself, of concealing that science, and making it the vehicle for music as pleasing as it is learned. Nowhere has he achieved more." And he continued, "It is the greatest orchestral work of the world which preceded the French Revolution."
As with most well-known works from the classical period, two questions often come up when talking about performances or recordings. One, whether or not to take the repeats written into the symphony by the composer. Two, whether to use period instruments and historically informed practices, or to use modern instruments and traditions.
On the subject of repeats, most performances these days take the repeats, although you will find recordings that don’t take any repeats and some that take some repeats and not others. Some of the best recordings, such as that from George Szell and The Cleveland Orchestra from 1964, take none of the repeats. This was more common at the time, whereas today it is more common to hear all the repeats. It is true taking all the repeats makes this particular symphony much longer. However, I am firmly in the camp that the entire symphony should be played unabridged, repeats and all.
There are literally hundreds of recordings of the Jupiter symphony currently available, and roughly one-third of them employ period instruments and historically-informed practices. There are some that use modern instruments, but use historically-informed practices (such as less vibrato and generally faster tempos). Still there are many that use modern instruments and modern playing techniques. There are exceptional recordings of the Jupiter symphony in each of these combinations, and I don’t pretend to be a purist of any sort on this question. I find many different interpretations enjoyable, as long as they are played with dedication, passion, and present a unique vision of the work as a whole.
I have listed the recordings below that are particularly recommended, as well as some that are less recommended but still worth hearing. What I am listening for in a recording of the Jupiter symphony are forward impetus or momentum, clarity and detail, rhythmic vitality, good balance where all the instruments can be heard well, and a sense of joy in the music-making. I also prefer recordings that take all or most of the repeats, but that is not a deal-breaker.
Desert Island Recording
There are so many excellent recordings of this symphony, I cannot single out a particular one for the desert island. I would bring several if I could.
Recommended Recordings
The aforementioned recording with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra from 1964 on Columbia (now Sony) still sounds remarkably fresh. Szell was a true master of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven and was ahead of his time in terms of using a bit faster tempo, crisp articulation, with the use of a more clipped, less romanticized sound for classical era works. Szell the man was not known for his charm and sweetness, but he brings both to his wonderful recording of the Jupiter. You can fully appreciate Szell’s customary discipline and authoritarian style when it leads to playing as refined and consistently enjoyable as this recording. If Szell had taken the repeats, this would be my desert island recording. Still, it remains one of the finest versions ever recorded.
A live 1998 recording with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Wolfgang Sawallisch on the Profil label blazes from first to last. This recording is really something special. The sound is good for a live recording, despite the brass being placed backwards in the picture. Sawallisch takes all the repeats, and while this is on modern instruments and Sawallisch is the furthest thing from a period performance advocate, the performance moves along briskly. Sawallisch was a veteran of the opera pit, and was known for many memorable opera performances and recordings. His ability to bring out the singing tone in the orchestra is evident. This one can go straight to the top of his Mozart achievements, and the BRSO is sparkling. Highly recommended.
On period instruments, the recent 2022 recording by il pomo d’oro led by Maxim Emelyanychev on Aparte records is winning in every way. The album is titled “the beginning and the end” and of course the Jupiter symphony represents the end. The lines are well-defined, rhythms are fresh and buoyant, and repeats are taken. This is certainly not your grandfather’s slower and aristocratic Mozart, or even the more refined but period aware approach of other recordings, but rather presents knife-edged tuttis and precision staccato that are invigorating if a bit startling. Trumpets and percussion cut right through, and while the strings and woodwinds sound thinner than most modern bands, they bring a welcome grace and delicacy. However, that doesn’t mean there is a lack of power. The finale boils with energy and panache. This is a genuinely unique performance, even among historically informed period recordings. While it won’t be to everyone’s liking, it is certainly not boring. The sound is good, though slightly boomy and over-resonant from Notre Dame du Liban in Paris.
Andrew Manze and the NDR Radiophilharmonie (Hanover, Germany), recorded live in 2018 at a concert performance by Pentatone, also bring a completely satisfying performance that is also a candidate for the best recording of this masterpiece. Manze is originally a violinist by trade, and made his mark previously in primarily baroque music, and he has made some very fine recordings indeed. So he brings some (but not too many) period ideas and mannerisms to the NDR orchestra, which uses modern instruments. The “hybrid” approach, if you will, is very effective in Mozart, though in truth you would be hard pressed to even notice Manze’s period leanings. Manze moves quickly but never unreasonably fast, and you may notice Manze leaves room for rubato from the orchestra. The sound is full and detailed (as we have come to expect from Pentatone), but it is also a credit to Manze that dynamics and phrasing are done so well. There is also plenty of muscle used when needed, as well as appropriate urgency and drama. At the key points in the first and last movements where counterpoint is used so marvelously, I always listen for whether I can hear all the details in the overlapping voices. Here I can hear all Mozart wrote, and splendidly so. Very enjoyable.
Herbert Blomstedt and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra were recorded live in Munich in 2017 by BR Klassik, and they bring another superb performance. The recorded sound is astonishingly good, making it all the more thrilling. Blomstedt has made some of his best recordings in his later years, including this one. Speeds are brisker than his previous recording with the Staatskapelle Dresden on the Denon label. I have rarely ever heard strings and brass sound so good on a recording, but more than that, Blomstedt always seems to know exactly how to vary the tempo for maximum effect. Granted the BRSO are currently one of the top orchestras in the world, and some would say the very best, and so it is not surprising they positively sparkle. Blomstedt refuses to let the tension sag. Thus, there is no hint of romanticism or unnecessary sentiment. But there is certainly plenty of charm and fun, with all the focus and detail you could want to hear in the Jupiter symphony. The more I listen to this recording, the more I love it.
Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra have been making excellent, thought provoking recordings for many years, and this recording of the Jupiter made in 2014 by the Hungaroton label, is no exception. It is fresh and exciting with superb strings and brass in a warm, clear, and detailed sound picture. Overall speeds are relatively fast, but still very much mainstream, and the repeats are taken. There is nuance as well as precision and balance, and the results are exhilarating. The sound can be a bit dry at times, leading to some moderate harshness, but it is not bothersome. The orchestra’s crisp attack is quite effective in my opinion.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt recorded one of the greatest Beethoven symphony cycles ever made with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and he leads the same band here in the finest of his several recordings of the Jupiter, this recorded live in Graz, Austria in the early 1990s for the Teldec label (now Warner). First, it should be said some of Harnoncourt’s typical eccentricities are present here, and for some listeners they are off-putting. At times he can be wilful, pushing and pulling speeds and dynamics in unusual ways. But this performance is very successful because Harnoncourt is less eccentric than usual, the slow movement is especially elegant, the first and last movements sizzle with joyful energy, and the COE plays wonderfully for Harnoncourt. As usual, Harnoncourt insists on taking all repeats, and although most of the instruments used are modern (except the trumpets and perhaps the drums), Harnoncourt encourages the use of some period practices such as less vibrato and more clipped phrasing in many spots. Harnoncourt’s other recordings with the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, and his last go around with his own Concentus Musicus Wien are both worth hearing but ultimately are not competitive with this one.
On period instruments, Philipe Herreweghe and the Orchestre des Champs-Elysées lead a bracing, sensational performance of Mozart’s Jupiter symphony, recorded in Switzerland in 2012 for the Outthere label. This is a full-bodied period orchestra, which you immediately notice with the first three short, blasted notes of the opening movement. Speeds are brisk but still very middle-of-the-road and reasonable. The orchestra must be one of the best I’ve heard on period instruments, and while there are the stereotypical period instrument bursts on brass and drums in louder passages, there are no brash or ugly sounds to be heard, and the brass and strings are especially outstanding. There is plenty of zest and fire, but also warmth and humanity. Some may find the middle movements pushed a bit too hard, and it is true they are played in a more strident fashion. But the outer movements more than make up for any reservations there, with playing that is thrillingly alive and present.
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra may be the preeminent Mozart orchestra in the world, at least historically, and there are two recordings of the Jupiter made with this great orchestra that remain among the very best. The first is a recording made in 1984 with Leonard Bernstein conducting, taken from live performances at a time when Bernstein was recording many of the late Mozart symphonies with the orchestra for the Deutsche Grammophon label. This Jupiter recording was awarded a Rosette by the now defunct Penguin Guide to CDs, and has remained highly thought of by critics ever since. This is larger than life Mozart. What you hear is elegance and grace from the Viennese, as well as that famous golden string tone for which they are known. Speeds are moderate, certainly not hurried, and the sound is better than average early digital sound. Bernstein brings out all the charm, as well as the power, and you can sense the joy in the music-making. It is perhaps easy to forget the acclaimed recordings Bernstein made of the late Haydn symphonies with the New York Philharmonic, as well as recordings of several of Mozart’s piano concertos with Berstein himself leading from the keyboard. The point is Bernstein knew how to conduct “classical” period music, and the VPO is the ideal luxury vehicle for the Jupiter symphony. All repeats are taken.
About five years later, in 1989, American conductor James Levine also recorded several of the late Mozart symphonies with the Vienna Philharmonic, also for Deutsche Grammophon. Notwithstanding the unfortunate allegations against Levine that came out later in his career, he made some very fine recordings in his prime with the VPO. This recording bears many similarities with Bernstein’s, and if anything may be marginally better with slightly clearer sound and a touch more urgency. Levine was one of the finest Mozart conductors of his generation, especially in the opera pit, and he brings out the singing quality of Mozart’s writing superbly. Once again we hear the lush, refined, and witty playing of the Viennese, so perfect for Mozart. I highly recommend both of these Vienna recordings.
Finally in the recommended category is the 1984 Abbey Road Jupiter from Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields on the EMI label (now Warner). Marriner had a wonderful way with Mozart in particular (hence the choice to use the ASMF and Marriner for the Amadeus soundtrack), and this recording has them in sparkling form. The sound is warm and clear, and the performance is engaging from first to last. While not every repeat is taken, with a performance as vibrant as this it hardly matters. The strings are exceptional, and the brass and woodwinds have plenty of bite when deeded. You may want to note Marriner also recorded the symphony in the 1970s with the ASMF, but I find this more recent recording far preferable.
Other recordings of note
You may want to sample some of the recordings below, and while they are not top recommendations, they each have enough merits to warrant a listen.
Eugen Jochum and the Boston Symphony Orchestra (DG) recorded the Jupiter in 1972, and is the finest of Jochum’s several recordings of the symphony, with good sound even though missing some repeats. The period instrument recording by Le Concert de la Loge with Julien Chauvin (Alpha) from 2021 has many charms even if a little thin sounding in spots. Similarly, the Klangkollektiv Wien and Remy Ballot (Gramola) from 2019 brings keen attention to detail but is also somewhat underpowered and includes no repeats. The classic 1954 account by Otto Klemperer and the Philharmonia Orchestra (EMI/Warner) is surely one of the best versions from its era, and Klemperer was a marvelous Mozartian, but the sound is a bit distant and there is no first movement repeat. Sir Charles Mackerras and the Prague Chamber Orchestra (Telarc) were recorded in 1986 in the midst of an outstanding complete Mozart symphony cycle. Mackerras had a special affinity for Mozart, and it shows. While using modern instruments, there are some effective period practice touches. Even finer is the later recording with Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (Linn) recorded in Glasgow in 2007. This is a joyful and satisfying recording, even if the acoustic is over-reverberant leading to somewhat congested sound occasionally. Marc Minkowski and Les Musciens du Louvre (Decca) on period instruments from 2006 are brisk with a full shot of adrenaline. Certainly exciting and moving, if a little too driven at times. The Manchester Camerata and Douglas Boyd (Avie) also from 2006 achieves clarity of texture along with emotional nuance in a very clear recording, even though it occasionally lacks weight. One of the more lucid and consistently enjoyable recordings is from The English Concert and Trevor Pinnock (Archiv/Decca) from 1994. At times there is a slight lack of drama, and the sound engineering is a little disappointing, but Pinnock delivers a first-rate performance. Claudio Abbado and his hand-picked Orchestra Mozart (Archiv/Decca) bring a fresh and vibrant performance in a live recording from 2006. Exuberant, lively, with an almost intimate chamber sort of feeling that exudes a joy for life and an appreciation for the late Abbado’s turn toward Mozart in his later years. On the more traditional end is Josef Krips and the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam (Philips/Universal) from 1972. This is an old-fashioned, big band Mozart performance, but is also well-played, well-recorded, and charming. It goes head-to-head with Szell and Jochum from the same era.
Mozart is an evergreen composer, always bringing a sense of wonder. I hope you enjoyed this journey into the world of his final symphony. This is music of the angels, perfect in a way that only Mozart could be, and I find it brings much joy.
On a personal note, I will be traveling abroad to visit my wife’s family over the next several weeks. My intention is to continue to write and post, but if there is a delay, please know that is the likely reason. As always, I thank you for supporting Building a Classical Music Collection, and I appreciate your readership. Until next time, stay well and happy listening!
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Notes:
Burk, J. N. (1959). "Symphony No. 41, in C Major ('Jupiter'), K. 551". In: Mozart and His Music, p. 299.
Clements, Andrew (23 July 2014). "Mozart: The Last Symphonies review – a thrilling journey through a tantalising new theory". The Guardian.
Clive, Michael. (April 3, 2021). MOZART: SYMPHONY NO. 41 “JUPITER”. Utah Symphony program notes at utahsymphony.org.
Grove, George (January 1906). "Mozart's Symphony in C (The Jupiter)". The Musical Times. 47 (755): 27–31. doi:10.2307/904183. JSTOR 904183.
Heartz, Daniel (2009). Mozart, Haydn and Early Beethoven 1781–1802. Norton. ISBN 978-0-393-06634-0.
A missing great interpretation of the Jupiter is Colin Davi’s one with Staatskapelle Dresden on Philips: an absolute masterfull version in my opinion. A mention also for Riccardo Muti and the Wiener Philharmoniker, also on Philips, far better than Levine’s version with the same orchestra, always in my questionable opinion.