Mozart may have written masses of masses as a professional obligation, but that doesn't mean they are are merely workaday music. They tend towards a bright and joyful C major, amenable as the key is to the instrumentation of trumpet and drums that will make a joyful noise in a vast acoustic like that of the Stephansdom in Vienna, but they also include many tender arias, none perhaps more memorable than the soprano's solo in the Benedictus of the 'Coronation' Mass, though everyone will have their favourites, and indeed be able to discover many more in this comprehensive set.

Not just the Requiem and 'Great' C minor Mass, then, whose original purposes still remain shrouded in confusion, but short, simple devotionals such as the Benedictus sit Deus; all offer a pleasing call upon our attention, especially in these stylish modern performances.

11 CD + CD ROM