Isaac Stern changed the world he lived in, both as a violinist of dazzling virtuosity and immense soul, and as a tireless, joyous humanitarian. Even among people who know little of classical music, his name is synonymous with the highest quality and the most generous spirit. In a career that stretched over half a century, Stern made definitive recordings of the great canon of Western music for the violin, from towering concertos to the most beguiling of encores. His repertoire encompassed everything from Baroque chamber works to the most challenging music of his own time, all transformed by incomparable artistry and a unique musical spirit. Artists featured in this set include Yo-Yo Ma, Pinchas Zukerman, Pablo Casals, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Mstislav Rostropovich, Daniel Barenboim and Emanuel Ax as well as Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra and Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic.

"Isaac Stern may have begun his career as "just" a virtuoso of the violin, but his legacy exists as so much more. A consummate and passionate musician if there ever was one, he was also an ambassador of classical music to the American people, the savior of Carnegie Hall, and a mentor to countless students. This two-disc set entitled 'The Essential Isaac Stern' reveals but the tip of the iceberg of his legacy... In all cases, what listeners will hear is the very essence of Stern: not a technically flawless performer (though his technical prowess in his earlier years was unrivaled), but a musician with a deep understanding of the music at hand and a unique ability to convey its emotional content to his listeners