Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante K364 & K297B / Rondo (Essential Classics)
George Szell earned a reputation as one of the great podium taskmasters, and his ferocious demands for ensemble discipline were legendary. But at the same time, once he had achieved the desired sound, his confidence in his orchestra knew no bounds. When it came to recording the lovely Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola, he preferred to work with his own first-chair players, and they repaid his trust with a performance that is at least as fine as any by big-name virtuosos. The companion work for winds similarly features soloists from the Philadelphia Orchestra, and though a lesser work, it's performed with great charm.--David Hurwitz