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·     Chamber ·     Choral ·     Collections ·     Concerti ·     Opera ·     Orchestral ·     Solo Mozart: The Six "Haydn" Quartets / Juilliard Quartet Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Joseph Haydn Ensemble: Juilliard String Quartet Sony Classics - #45826 / December 4, 1990 Click here for more information These were the six quartets that caused Haydn to tell Mozart's father that his son was the finest composer in the world--and Haydn wasn't just saying that because Mozart dedicated the pieces to him. In richness of invention, density of thought, length, and melodic appeal, these pieces set new standards for the medium. However, they are not easy pieces to play or to listen to, and the Juilliard Quartet's lean, emphatic approach works very well in clarifying the busy textures and maximizing the...Read more Complete Mozart Edition Vol 11 - String Quintets / Grumiaux Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Performer: Eva Czako, Arp‡d Gerecz, et al. Ensemble: Grumiaux Trio Uni/Philips - #22511 / March 12, 1991 Click here for more information Arthur Grumiaux's performances of Mozart, whether of the violin concertos, the sonatas, or various chamber pieces with violin, were marked by patrician elegance and an unfailing sense of style. For this 1973 recording of the string quintets, arguably the summit of Mozart's chamber output, Grumiaux surrounded himself with musicians of a similar stripe, and the result remains among the treasures of the catalog. By today's standards, the performances may sound just a bit laid-back and relaxed, but...Read more Mozart, Brahms: Clarinet Quintets / Shifrin, Emerson Quartet Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johannes Brahms Performer: David Shifrin, Lawrence Dutton, et al. Ensemble: Emerson String Quartet Uni/Deutsche Grammophon - #459641 / May 11, 199 Click here for more information The Emersons and clarinetist Shifrin emphasize smoothness of line and a creamy blend of sound in this polished 1997 performance of the Mozart quintet. Tempos are ideal, giving Mozart's luxurious, long-breathed yet fragile melodies plenty of time to unfold without sacrificing animation or expressive point. Understatement rules in this interpretation, which is all the more intense and poignant because of it. The coupling is a rich, ripe, romantic account of the Brahms quintet, conveyed with...Read more Mozart: The Piano Quartets / Ax, Stern, Ma, Laredo Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Performer: Emanuel Ax, Jaime Laredo, et al. Sony Classics - #66841 / February 25, 1997 Click here for more information This is a wonderful recording of two indispensable masterpieces. By adding the viola, which he loved to play, to the popular piano trio, Mozart became "the father of the piano quartet" with these very different works, the first somber and dramatic, though it ends with a sprightly finale, the second lyrical and serene. Mozart treats all the instruments as equals, but primarily alternates piano and strings, bringing them together in climactic moments. This means that the musicians must inwardly...Read more

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