This set of recordings from the vaults of the Decca and Philips labels has an advantage over other samplers of the works of Mozart in that it gives listeners complete multimovement works, not just a single movement or an excerpt of a movement. On the other hand, because of this, the number of works presented is by necessity much smaller than other compilations. Rest assured, though, that the producers selected the best of the best of Mozart's compositions. These recordings, and especially those featuring
Neville Marriner and the
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, are very recommendable, even though originally recorded between 1968 and 1991. This is a fine set for someone who wants to get to know Mozart's music but isn't interested in just bits and pieces of it.