If you're looking for a set that encompasses the entirety of Mozart's chamber works for violin, look no further. This nine-disc set from Philips' complete Mozart edition of 1991 contains not only all the sonatas for violin and piano and for violin and harpsichord, it also contains the sonata for two violins and cello, the duos for violin and viola, the trios for violin, viola and cello and a disc's worth of miscellaneous andantes, adagios, allegrettos, and allegros for violin and keyboard. Not only that, but these are some of the finest recordings any of these works have ever received. Dominating the set is violinist
Arthur Grumiaux, whose singing lines, clear tone, and clean intonation make him an ideal Mozart player. His recordings of the violin sonatas with pianist Walter Klein have long been acknowledged to be the best available and his recordings of the string trio Divertimento in E flat major and of the string trio transcriptions of six Bach preludes and fugues have long been prized by connoisseurs of Mozart recordings. The performances that fill out the set are almost but not quite at that supreme level.
Isabelle van Keulen and
Ronald Brautigam turn in splendid performances of the sonatas, variations, and fragments on the first disc,
Blandine Verlet and Gérard Poulet turn in enchanting performances of the early sonatas on the next two discs, and three members of the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble turn in an entirely successful performance of the nearly inconsequential Sonata (Trio) in B flat major on the last disc. But the heart and soul of this collection are the six discs with
Grumiaux, and in Philips' transparent reissues, they sound as real here as they did on LP.