The excellence of the sound on this disc is partly down to Vladimir Spivakov, who has the most amazing tonal quality. Kyung Wha Chung likened Heifetz's tone to the effect of looking at a very beautiful woman; one is awed by it, thrilled in the moment of hearing, wanting never to lose that sense of heightened aesthetic awareness. Such is the effect of Spivakov's playing as well. It comes across admirably thanks to the Capriccio engineers, both here and in his Chausson disc from around the same time. Because it is a small label, and Spivakov rarely heard in Britain, the disc seems to get little attention, but right from the opening moments of the early Ravel sonata (as opposed to the more famous later one) the quality is unmistakeable.

This Sony-made 30CD classical music collection covers almost all classical music, from the early Baroque period represented by Bach to the schools of classical music by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms represent romantic, national and even modern musical schools led by Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, etc. representative, everything wonderful and vivid.

The answer to the question what would post-Oistrakh Soviet Mozart sound like? is Vladimir Spivakov. The answer to the question what does Spivakov's Mozart sound like? is lightly, lively, elegant, and, every once in a while, extremely intense. In these recordings from the late '70s and early '80s of Mozart's violin concertos and Sinfonia Concertante with the English Chamber Orchestra and violist Yuri Bashmet, Spivakov plays and conducts with graceful artistry, consummate virtuosity, and deep humanity. In opening Allegros, Spivakov is airborne in the zephyrs of spring. In the closing Rondos, Spivakov is dancing in the ballrooms of Europe. But sometimes, especially in the central Andantes, Spivakov can sing with an intimacy and intensity that reveal a more profound Mozart, a Mozart touched not only by eternity but by mortality.

Violinist Daniel Lozakovich was already a veteran at 18, having made his debut at age nine and signed to Deutsche Grammophon at 15. It may seem that each year brings a prodigal new violinist, but Lozakovich, a charismatic soul who boxes on the side, bow hand be damned, is one of the best. His Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, is muscular and unafraid of a little gravel in the tone. Sample his finale, a broad, arch-Russian thing where he is ideally backed by his mentor, Vladimir Spivakov, leading the new National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia. Lozakovich grabs your attention from the start but never overplays the transitions.

This concerto for orchestra in seven parts, is a beautifully crafted work incorporating Eastern European folk and Jewish melodies. While the subject matter is clearly about the Jews and their suffering up to and including the end of World War 2, the music and melodic themes avoid portrayal of the Nazis.