Mozart: The Complete Quintets, Vol. 2

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Allegri String Quartet (Performer), Quartetto Italiano (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Allegri String Quartet, Quartetto Italiano
• Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Audio CD (June 10, 1997)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B0000041MR
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #202,682 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gramophone "Top 100 Recording", March 26, 2005

By 

Alan Lekan (Boulder, CO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mozart: The Complete Quintets, Vol. 2 (Audio CD)

In addition to the masterpiece G-minor Quintet (K.516), this second volume contains several other significant works. Most notably is the masterpiece Clarinet Quintet (K.581), a highly-angular Adagio/Fugue in rare key of C-minor, Mozart's last chamber composition (string quintet K.614) and a unique, late work for the unusual "glass harmonica". The two pieces for glass harmonica (basically, an invention of rotating glass bowls that ping when struck) are gentle, etherial compositions that Mozart wrote just before his death for a blind virtuoso of this unusual instrument (hence the late Kochel number K. 617). They are quite unique compositions in all of classical music. Equally dreamy in tone is the much-loved Clarinet Quintet (K581) with Brymer that is much better than many other versions I have heard. (But, there are several beautiful recordings of this work). Hearing its radient, soaring autumnal textures, one is not surprised to learn that Mozart absolutely adored the clarinet and writing to its wide and expressive sonorities.

It is nearly universally agreed that Mozart's string quintets not only surpassed his earlier "Haydn" quartets but are amoung his finest chamber compositions - and in the entire clasical repertoire for that matter. Particularly, the late string quintets, K515 & 516, are thought to be Mozart's pinnacle chamber compositions. One will be hard pressed to find finer recordings of Mozart's magnificant string quintets than these by the legendary Grumiaux Trio (+ Lesueur and Gerecz to round out the quintet). Their landmark recordings here are cited in nearly every major review as a truly exceptional example of the art of chamber music playing. The major reviewers/guides (Gramophone, Jim Svejda, Penguin and Third Ear) all give them the highest accolades, while Gramophone notes that, "This edition belongs in the pantheon of Great Mozart recordings." In addition, Gramophone awarded the String Quintets here their highest award - one of the "Top 100 Recordings of All Time" - which is recognition about as high as you can get in the music world. Their playing are supremely lush, galantly poised and tonally opulant - serving this special niche of Mozart's output honorably. Grumiaux really sets a standard for the ages of how to play Mozart, and such perfection of style is seen in these works (as in much of his Mozart recordings.

Equally, the recorded sound of the highest clarity (as usual for Philips). Philip's Quintets I and II is an absolutely superb, timeless set of four CD's that contain some of the creme of the classical chamber repertoire. Having all the Quintets on four CD's is of great value - as is the DUO "twofer" price. Chamber enthusiasts will want to get both Vol.I and II as each set contains 2-3 major works that are amongst Mozart's most prized chamber compositions. A wonderful investment in history and music that will never go out of style.