Mozart, Symphony No.25 in G minor, K. 183

The "little" G minor Symphony K. 183 (as opposed to the "Great" G minor K. 550) of 1773 is regarded as Mozart's first symphonic masterpiece. New is the minor mode. New are also the passionate spirit, the abrupt changes of mood, the depth of the drama and the strong dynamic contrasts. Even the idyllic wind episode in the Trio of the Menuett cannot weaken the impression of implacability. The symphony is the brilliant stroke of a 17-year-old genius who is in the act of developing his own symphonic idiom and discovering new expressive domains in so doing. Leonard Bernstein leads the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in this performance recorded in 1988, two years before the maestro's death.