"Chua phrases and colours thoughtfully, subtly varying her vibrato and always alive to the vocal inspiration of Mozart’s writing. Semiquaver passagework is gracefully shaped, never relapsing into rococo autopilot. Her glistening beauty of tone is a constant pleasure." - Gramophone (5 New Albums to Hear This Week)

"Chua consistently holds the attention with interpretations that are notably mature: balanced, considered and never trying too hard. The faster movements having a gentle momentum, the slow ones plenty of space; everything Chua plays has a clean, focused tone, an unfailingly elegant turn of phrase and a quiet wit." - The Guardian ★★★★☆

"In the slow movements of these Mozart concertos, there are such delicate and deeply internalized moments of fragility that the listener hardly dares to breathe in order not to destroy this sublime purity and beauty. On the other hand, the fast movements are irresistibly fresh. ... Where Mozart’s creative ideas are realized with so much human warmth and honesty, the chemistry between performer and composer is just as good as it is between Chloé Chua and the excellent Singapore Symphony under the sensitive accompaniment of Hans Graf. - Pizzicato

"La pureté de l’intonation, les registres si contrastés, cet archet qui chante et dit, la liberté des phrasés si bien placée dans le corps de l’instrument comme le ferait une chanteuse, cette colonne de son fluide, tout cela est simplement inouï, et transporte en excellence les Singapouriens." - Artalinna (Record of the Day)

A FRESH INTERPRETATION OF MOZART’S VIOLIN MUSIC

Beloved worldwide, Chloe Chua returns to PENTATONE with Mozart’s complete violin concertos – a project that began when she was just 15 years old.

The album features Mozart’s Rondo in B-Flat Major, K. 269 and Rondo in C Major, K. 373 as well as the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola & Orchestra in E-Flat Major, K. 364. The latter also features the outstanding young Chinese violist Ziyu He, winner of the 2016 Yehudi Menuhin Competition at just 16. In this performance, he showcases his remarkable artistry alongside Chloe, herself a former winner of the same prestigious competition. The soloists are accompanied by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Hans Graf, for whom the relationship with the violin star is particularly special.

For Chloe, Mozart’s music holds a special place in her heart, and she has embraced the challenge of following in the footsteps of so many legendary violinists. In these refined and fresh interpretations, her deep connection to the music – written by Mozart when he was around her age – is unmistakable. Even without a trained ear, one can appreciate her extraordinary technique, elegance, and effort to capture the vitality of these beloved works.

This album continues Chloe’s exclusive collaboration with PENTATONE, complementing the already released and acclaimed Butterfly Lovers & Paganini (2024) and Vivaldi Four Seasons and Locatelli Harmonic Labyrinth (2023).

Released physically as a standard 3CD set.

MOZART
Violin Concertos Nos. 1 - 5
Sinfonia Concertante
Adagio K261, Rondos K269 and K373

Chloe Chua, violin
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Hans Graf, conductor 
He Ziyu, viola (Sinfonia Concertante)