Editorial Reviews

To steal a line from Tom Lehrer, it's sobering to consider that when Mozart was my age, he'd been dead for some time. The range of exquisite work on The Greatest Mozart Show on Earth by this undisputed musical genius -- who died at the age of 35 -- is both overwhelming and awe-inspiring. The recordings on this two-disc set are all classics. It's almost hard to think of a legendary Mozart performer, past or present, who isn't featured here. Who could resist the sublime Kiri Te Kanawa in the sorrowful "Dove sono" from "The Marriage of Figaro"? Barry Tuckwell's self-possessed and jolly Horn Concerto, pianist András Schiff's featherlight "Rondo alla turca," and Herbert von Karajan's magical, masterful finale to the "Jupiter" Symphony are just a few of the other highlights. Arias are sung by Cecilia Bartoli, Leontyne Price, and Bryn Terfel; solos and concertos performed by Radu Lupu, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and Joshua Bell; orchestral works conducted by Sir Georg Solti, and Sir Neville Marriner, with ensembles ranging from the Academy of Ancient Music to the lustrous Vienna Philharmonic. Inevitably and fittingly, though, the star here is Mozart himself, and The Greatest Mozart Show on Earth is a first-rate recommendation for either the classical music aficionado or the beginner. Although it can only scratch the surface of Mozart's prodigious output, these beautifully remastered recordings will send you on an amazing journey of discovery into this young man's miraculous legacy. Emily King, Barnes & Noble

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