Ultimate Violin Classics: The Essential Masterpieces would be an appropriate title for this set of performances taken from EMI's archives, if it weren't for the word "The." These are certainly many of the greatest works for violin, but there are too many obvious omissions for this to be considered a definitive collection of violin masterpieces. The collection is diverse: sonatas by Beethoven; concertos by Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Bruch; and many small encore-type works for violin and piano. The performers include some of the greatest violinists of the mid- to late 20th century, recorded between the 1950s to the 1970s. The collection should interest listeners looking for an assortment of violin music of many eras and styles, beautifully played.