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Mozart was a childhood prodigy, composing from the age of five and performing at royal courts by the age of 10, becoming famous throughout Europe. As an immensely influential composer, his music sits at the very centre of Western musical culture and today casts its spell over the hearts and minds of music lovers throughout the world. This substantial collection presents the cream of Mozart’s imperishable contribution to music through his piano concertos, symphonies, chamber music, operas and choral works.

Julia Fischer (violin), Jonathan Crow (violin), Douglas McNabney (viola), Matt Haimovitz (cello), Lenneke Ruiten (soprano), Martin Helmchen (piano), Arabella Steinbacher (violin), Keisuke Wakao (oboe), Malcolm Lowe (violin), Cathy Basrak (viola), Sato Knudsen (cello), Ana de la Vega (flute), Andrew Marriner (clarinet), Gustavo Núñez (bassoon), Ulf-Dieter Schaaff (flute), Philipp Beckert (violin), Andreas Willwohl (viola), Georg Boge (cello), Kevin Short (bass), Gordan Nikolić (violin). Marco Boni, Yakov Kreizberg, Ed Spanjaard, Simon Murphy, Gordan Nikolić, Bastiaan Blomhert, Stephanie Gonley, Neville Marriner, Henk Rubingh, Lawrence Foster

The Belgian violinist Arthur Grumiaux made his debut in 1940 and established himself after the war as a consistently fine player with a wide repertory whose recordings show not only his mastery of the instrument but also unfailingly good taste—and lest anyone thinks that last phrase implies a lack of personality, we should remember that it was one which Haydn chose to praise Mozart. These performances of the five standard violin concertos, the Sinfonia concertante and a couple of other pieces were admired when they came out on LP, and still earn praise for their crispness, lightness and eloquence.

Befitting his legendary status, Jascha Heifetz-The Complete Album Collection, is the biggest box set ever created for a solo artist. With 103 CDs and 1 DVD, this limited edition collection features all of the violinist's recordings made by RCA Victor between 1917 and 1972,those made in England for His Master's Voice and distributed in the U.S. by RCA Red Seal, three LPs issued on Columbia Masterworks and one on Vox Cum Laude.

As long as there are violinists around like Giuliano Carmignola, classical music will never be a museum for the dead because in his hands, Mozart's Concertos are brilliantly, vibrantly, irresistibly alive. Carmignola, who later signed with Sony and then Deutsche Gramophone after these recordings were made in 1997, is a violinist with a light bow, a warm tone, an impeccable intonation and a superlative technique, all of which are needed for Mozart's effervescent Concertos. But, best of all, Carmignola has an elegant way of turning a phrase and a graceful manner of expressing the inner life of the music. With the skilled if not especially characterful il Quartettone led by Carlo de Martini, Carmignola turns in performances of Mozart Concertos which while they might not challenge the greatest recordings ever made, certainly do reconfirm the life enhancing – life affirming – qualities of the music.