Mozart: Symphonies

Advantages: Beatuful redentions of highly celebrated works
Disadvantages: Would be nicer with a broader selcetion on disc

...Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a household name, even among non-classical music lovers - he is - for many - the definition of music. This CD houses 2 works by the genius - Symphony No.40 in G minor and Symphony No.41 - Jupiter. Mozart wrote No.40 after the death of his infant daughter - this is potrayed immediatly through the minor key in which the piece begins in. It later modulates to a major key which denotes his hopefulness of moving on and closing the bereavement door. The piece culminates in a repetition and develoment of the 1st section to reiterate his pain and sorrow. Symphony No. 41 was completed just 1month after no.40, in the summer of 1788. It is nicknamed ' The Jupiter Symphony' due to its power and percieved size, particularly in the finale, where a memorable theme is heard alongside with others that have featured... Read review

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Advantages: Deliciously creamy smooth white chocolate liqueur
Disadvantages: Might be a little rich for some, more expensive in the UK

...Local colour at duty free At the end of our recent trip to Germany we found ourselves in Salzburg airport (we crossed over the border for the return trip) with - shock horror - over ?150 left in our wallets. A trip to the duty free shop was clearly in order and while my girlfriend might not have let me buy that Lego chalet house I fancied, we did manage to pick up a couple of tasty items to remind ourselves of our holiday. Salzburg airport wasn't particularly competitive when it came to offers on 'international' spirits etc., which was a good thing as it led to us sticking to Austrian and German items, as opposed to picking up the less imaginative bottle of Jack Daniels or Bacardi. While I'd heard of the Mozart range of liqueurs before, I wasn't aware that they produced a white chocolate version of the drink. White... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent performances in a perfect setting
Disadvantages: Very minor quibbles

...Background: When it comes to prodigious over-achievers, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has to be placed somewhere at the top of the list. Despite his tragically short life from 1756-1791, his musical creativity has assured him of eternal fame as long as human civilisation performs Western classical music. But when one considers Mozart's background, one can understand where his genius came from. His father Leopold Mozart was a virtuoso violinist whose treatise on violin playing is still a standard read for any aspiring violin student today. It is also worth considering how things might have been different had female instrumentalists been able to pursue a professional career as adults - as his beloved sister Nannerl was no mean keyboard player, but obviously once she became an adult it was not really considered the done thing for her... Read review

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