Recorded between 1989 and 2004, the Hagen Quartet's recordings of Mozart's complete music for string quartet is clearly the finest set of the works released in the early digital age. For one thing, because the collection includes not only the 23 canonical string quartets but also the three early Divertimenti for string quartet, the five Fugues from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier arranged by Mozart, and the late Adagio and Fugue in C minor, their set really is the complete music for string quartet. For another thing, because the performances were recorded by Deutsche Grammophon in their finest translucent digital sound, this set is the cleanest and clearest available. But, most importantly, the Hagen's performances are certainly among the finest ever given to the music. The wit, the charm, the poise, the elegance, the balance, the depth, the sheer ravishing beauty of Mozart's string quartet writing have rarely been so fully realized -- and then only in stereo sets that include only the 23 standard quartets. For performance, sound, and inclusiveness, this set is the one to get if you're looking to get only one set of Mozart's quartets. ~ James Leonard, Rovi