By the ripe old age of 33, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had composed a veritable library of hits. That he was a master of his craft is utterly undeniable. Surely these tracks can be found in most any music collection, whether as part of an all-Mozart program or on a compilation of essential classics. What, then, could possibly be left to discover in this beloved and quite recognizable music?

For starters, the Erato record label was founded in 1953 to promote French classical music. And, though Mozart was certainly not French, the musicians featured on these three discs (primarily) are. While the music itself may be instantly familiar, the interpretations are refreshingly new and the artists themselves more than merit discovery outside their homelands.

We begin with Le Trio Pasquier, about whom little information exists, performing Mozart's Divertimention in E-flat, K.563. This work is not a true divertimento in the strictest sense, but more of a hybrid composition that places great demands on its players. The composer was fond of playing the viola and, with a certain lack of modesty about his abilities, it would seem that he refused to write himself a dull part in this divertimento. And so, all three performers share a fairly equal burden in this music — and the members of Le Trio Pasquier more than live up to the task at hand.

Mozart counted among his friends the clarinetist Anton Stadler, for whom he wrote several compositions. Likely, the music featured on our second disc — the Five Divertimentos, KV.Anh.229 (K.439b) — was intended for Stadler to perform. Mozart's original manuscript calls for three basset-horns, but on this fine CD, clarinetist Jacques Lancelot and bassoonist Paul Hongne are joined instead by oboist Pierre Pierlot. These three artists have an instant familiarity that hails from their participation in the Quintette á vent Français, of which famed flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal was also a member.

The final CD in this collection features two familiar serenades: Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" and the "Haffner." The music itself needs little introduction, but the artists themselves deserve a bit of attention here. Karl Ristenpart was a German conductor whose career can be defined by the three orchestras he created, most notably the Chamber Orchestra of the Saar, featured on this disc. The ensemble, founded in 1953 in the Saar region (which was still under French administration at the time), originally counted just 16 artists among its ranks. Among them was Georg-Friedrich Hendel, leader of the Hendel Quartet, who became the orchestra's first violin soloist and whose artistry is immediately evident on this recording. The orchestra itself proved fruitful, counting about 170 albums to its credit and touring extensively before Ristenpart's death in 1967.

All three discs in this collection have been digitally remastered from the original Erato recordings, breathing new life into these otherwise fairly obscure performances. A worthy discovery for any music library.

—Elaine Sutcliffe