Dmitry Sitkovetsky is very much a rising star amongst younger violinists, and it's encouraging that a relative newcomer who avoids virtuoso flashiness and expressive sensationalism can attract such widespread acclaim. These are serious, musicianly performances, stylish and communicative, and completely lacking in that rather hollow reverential quality that Mozart often seems to draw from younger players. Technically the playing cannot be faulted—a suspicion of hardness in the opening solo of K218 probably has more to do with the way the microphone catches the violin tone than with Sitkovetsky's playing—and it's always a relief to me to hear vibrato used imaginatively: as a tonal constant it can be pretty irritating. Be that as it may, I'm afraid I can't say that Sitkovetsky's performances left a particularly deep impression. The lush beauty of the Perlman/Levine recordings on DG, or the forcefully characterful playing of Jean-Jacques Kantorow on Denon (CD only) may offend some tastes, but at least these are positive, memorable qualities. I can't imagine Sitkovetsky giving offence, but neither do I see these discs offering much in the way of delight or enlightment. In comparison with the above mentioned versions, the virtues of this new Mozart cycle seem in short supply.'