Mozart: Piano Quintets, Quartets, Trios etc.

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 the ensemble is marvelous, and the beauty of tone Grumiaux and company achieved in these readings has rarely been approached on disc since. The analog recording is splendid. --Ted Libbey