Mozart Premium Edition (40 CD box set, FLAC)

Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 40 CD box set
Format: FLAC (tracks+cue)
Label: Cascade
Size: 9.25 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 1: Concerts for horn and orchestra no. 1, 2, 3 / Concert for oboe and orchestra
CD 2: A Little Night Music, Haydn Quartet no. 1, 2
CD 3: Haydn Quartet no. 3, 4
CD 4: Symphony no. 13, Sinfonia concertante KV 364 / Serenade no. 6
CD 5: Symphonies no. 19, 24
CD 6: Symphonies no. 54, 30, A Musical Joke
CD 7: Divertimenti no. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
CD 8: Famous Arias and Opera Scenes
CD 9: Concerts for clarinet and orchestra
CD 10: Concerts for flute and orchestra no. 1, 2
CD 11: Quartet for flute and string trio / Divertimento no. 15
CD 12: Requiem
CD 13: Famous Arias
CD 14: Sonatas for piano and orchestra KV 304, 378, 454
CD 15: Famous Overtures, Serenade KV 239
CD 16: Church Sonatas
CD 17: Concerts for piano and orchestra no. 23, 5
CD 18: Concerts for piano and orchestra no. 13, 12
CD 19: Concerts for piano and orchestra no. 8, 9
CD 20: Concerts for piano and orchestra no. 27, 1, 2
CD 21: Concerts for piano and orchestra no. 6, 14, 11
CD 22: Concerts for piano and orchestra no. 15, 20
CD 23: Concerts for piano and orchestra no. 16, 17
CD 24: Concerts for piano and orchestra no. 18, 21
CD 25: Concerts for piano and orchestra no. 25, 3, 4
CD 26: Concerts for piano and orchestra no. 19, 26
CD 27: Concerts for piano and orchestra no. 22, 24
CD 28: Concerts for two pianos and orchestra no. 7, 10
CD 29: Concerts for violin and orchestra 5, 4
CD 30: Concerts for violin and orchestra 1, 2, 3
CD 31: Sonatas for piano 10, 11, 18
CD 32: Sonatas for piano 9, 12, 13, 16
CD 33: Sonatas for piano 7, 14, 17
CD 34: Sonatas for piano 2, 4, 8, 15
CD 35: Sonatas for piano 1, 3, 5, 6
CD 36: Symphonies no. 21, 25, 28
CD 37: Symphonies no. 31, 33, 35
CD 38: Symphonies no. 36, 38
CD 39: Symphonies no. 39, 40
CD 40: Symphonies no. 41, 29

Jaunty Super Budget Performances

Bought this set a couple of weeks ago. Okay, I confess I’m not dumping my copies of Perahia’s & Barenboim’s piano concertos, nor Uchida’s & Brautigam’s & Eschenbach’s piano sonatas, let alone Walter’s & Bohm’s & Szell’s & Marriner’s & Pinnock’s versions of Mozart’s symphonies, Brain’s horn concertos or the Amadeus’s & the Franz Schubert’s versions of the quartets.

At this price, my best hope for this collection was that it would provide a few lively if not perfectly played one-take alternate versions in acceptable sound that would be worth a spin once in awhile–palate cleansers to help me appreciate my favorites all the more. So far–with one exception, that being the Requiem–I’m happy to report that my modest expectations have been very much exceeded.

I’m growing genuinely and increasingly fond of Carmen Piazzini’s piano concertos: they bump and bounce down the country road quite happily, like a horse-drawn carriage on a sunny summer’s day. Occasionally the slow movements do drag a bit, as if horse and driver have both let their attention wander, but it’s still a pleasant enough ride if you’re not in a hurry.