Volume 2 of the AAM's integral set contains the symphonies written during four sojourns in Salzburg between 1766-72, when Mozart was as young as ten and no older than 16 years old. One (K62a) was extracted from a larger serenade, three (K35, 38, 74c) were originally overtures to vocal works, two (K128, 129) are Italianate overture-symphonies lacking minuets—the remaining five are Germanic concert symphonies. The observance of contemporary performing practices extends to the constitution and spatial arrangement of the orchestra itself, with first and second violins, and loud and soft wind instruments stereo-opposed—as the recording effectively presents them. Bassoons and timpani, though not scored, are added, as they usually were at that time.
In his review of the LP issue of this volume (to which I recommend the reader to refer) SS objects strongly to the undocumented use of solo-string groups in sections of some movements, which I find rather less offensive, particularly in the Trios of K75 and 124. The music is on the whole light, with no profound spiritual message, but light = delightful, as are the performances (with SS's mild reservations) and the clean-as-a-whistle sound of the Compact Discs.'