A new Mozart box set has become the biggest physical release of 2016.

Mozart 225: The New Complete Edition has sold 1.25 million CDs globally in the five weeks since its release. Decca has clarified that the release sold 6,250 sets, each containing 200 CDs 

Released by Decca and Deutsche Grammophon in collaboration with the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation and comprising 200 CDs, the set includes Mozart’s every recorded work, spanning a total of 240 hours.

Paul Moseley, SVP, Universal Global Classics, said: “It is wonderful to see the reaction to this box set, which is the fruits of years of scholarship, planning and curation. Mozart’s immortal melodies, no less than The Beatles or Abba, are in some way part of all our lives – and this Edition is the perfect way to celebrate that on his 225^th anniversary.”

Mosely presented a commemorative disc to American soprano Renée Fleming, who is among the performers featured in the box set.

This story was updated to reflect the number of copies sold on December 6 2017.

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