String Quintets - Quintettes A Cordes - Streichquintette

Released in 1979 by CBS Masterworks, this three-record box set captures the Juilliard String Quartet joined by violist John Graham for Mozart's complete string quintets. This collection emerged during a period when the Juilliard String Quartet was cementing its reputation as a premiere ensemble in American chamber music, known for their rigorous technical precision and intellectual approach to the classical repertoire. By adding a second viola, the ensemble explored the unique, rich textures Mozart composed specifically for this instrumentation, which often required a more symphonic approach to chamber music than his better-known quartets.

The production represents the high-fidelity standards of the late 1970s CBS Masterworks series, aimed at audiophile listeners and scholars of the classical canon. The recording was designed to showcase the interplay between the established Quartet and Graham, highlighting the complex counterpoint and emotional depth found in Mozart’s later compositions like K. 515 and K. 516. Upon its release, the set was received as a definitive modern interpretation, praised for its clarity of articulation and the cohesive, balanced sound characteristic of the Juilliard's tenure during this era.