All of Rachmaninov’s music - from his earliest student compositions to his final masterpieces – has been collected together for the first time on 32 CDs, in what is definitively the most complete and comprehensive edition of Rachmaninov’s works ever released.

The collection even includes the popular and treasured recordings made by Rachmaninov himself - The Ampico Recordings. These are recordings from piano rolls of Rachmaninov as a pianist, featuring many small works and transcriptions made between 1919 and 1929.

Five CDs in the set are dedicated to the works that secured Rachmaninov his household name – the Piano Concertos. Four legendary recordings of the Piano Concertos are here, with different pianists:
o No.1 - Byron Janis
o No.2 - Sviatoslav Richter
o No.3 - Martha Argerich
o No.4 - Zoltán Kocsis
Plus the 2001 recording of the original versions of Piano Concertos Nos 1 and 4, performed by Alexander Ghindin (licensed from Ondine). Further rarities include the original 1913 version of Piano Sonata No.2.

Vladimir Ashkenazy’s famous recordings of all Four Piano Concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra and Andre Prévin are included: “From Ashkenazy, every page declares Rachmaninov’s nationality, his indelibly Russian nature… Prévin works hand in glove with his soloist… the product of the greatest musical sympathy.” (Gramophone)

The set benefits from Decca’s enormously distinguished artist roster and includes performances by many of the 20th century’s great interpreters. The artistic backbone of the set is provided by Vladimir Ashkenazy. Considered the pre-eminent interpreter of Rachmaninov’s music, Ashkenazy has championed it since the outset of his career, and he is the only musician to record all of the composer’s piano works.

In this set, he is also heard as accompanist (notably with soprano Elisabeth Söderström in three CDs of Songs), but also as conductor of the Concertgebouw Orchestra.


Contents:
CD 1
- 24 Préludes
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

CD 2
- Variations on a Theme of Corelli, op.42
Michail Pletnev (piano)
- Piano Sonata No.2 in B flat minor, op.36, Original version (1913)
Zoltân Kocsis (piano)

CD 3
- Variations on a Theme of Chopin [Op.28 no.20], op.22
Jorge Bolet (piano)
- Piano Sonata No.1 in D minor, op.28
Alexis Weissenberg (piano)

CD 4
- Études-tableaux, op.33
- Études-tableaux, op.39
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

- Russian Rhapsody for two pianos in E minor
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano), André Previn (piano)

- Romance in G major (for piano, four hands)
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano), Vovka Ashkenazy (piano)

CD 5
- Moments musicaux, op.16
- Morceaux de fantaisie, op.3
- Fragments (1917)
- Prélude, op. posth. (1917) in D minor
- Zdes’ khorosho, op.21 no.7 transcr. anon. How fair this spot
- Vocalise, op.34 no.14 transcr. Zoltán Kocsis
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

CD 6
Transcriptions
- Suite from J S Bach: Partita in E major for solo violin (1933)
- Franz Schubert: “Wohin?” (Die schöne Müllerin, 1925)
- Felix Mendelssohn: Scherzo (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 1933)
- Georges Bizet: Minuet (L’Arlésienne Suite No.1, 1923 version)
- Modest Mussorgsky: Hopak (Sorochintsy Fair, 1923/4)
- Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Flight of the Bumblebee (c.1929)
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Lullaby, op.16 no.1 (1941)
- Polka de W.R. (after Franz Behr: Lachtäubchen, Scherzpolka, 1911)
- Rachmaninov: Lilacs, op.21 no.5 (1914)
- Rachmaninov: Daisies, op.38 no.3 (1925)
- Fritz Kreisler: Liebesleid (1921)
- Fritz Kreisler: Liebesfreud
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

Original Compositions
- 6 Morceaux, op.11 (for piano, four hands)
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano), Vovka Ashkenazy (piano)

- Waltz (for piano, six hands, 1890)
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

- Romance (for piano, six hands, 1891)
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano), Vovka Ashkenazy (piano), Dódy Ashkenazy (piano)

- Italian Polka (for piano, four hands, and trumpet, c.1906)
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano), Alastair Mackie (trumpet)

- The Star-Spangled Banner (John Stafford Smith, transcr. Rachmaninov, 1918)
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

CD 7
- Fantaisie-tableaux (Suite No.1) for two pianos, op.5
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano), André Previn (piano)

- Suite No.2 for two pianos, op.17
- Symphonic Dances for two pianos, op.45
Martha Argerich (piano), Nelson Freire piano)

CD 8
- Piano Piece in A flat major (n.d.) ed. S Davie
- Morceaux de salon, op.10
- 3 Nocturnes (1888/9) ed. I. Belza
- Song Without Words in D minor
- Canon in E minor (1890/1)
- Fugue in D minor (1890/1) ed. V. Antipov
- 4 Pieces (originally numbered op.1, ?1887)
- Prélude in F major (1892)
- Morceau de fantaisie (“Delmo”) (1899)
- Fughetta in F major (1899)
- Oriental Sketch (1917)
- Sad is the night op.26, no.12 arr. Vladimir Ashkenazy
- Nunc dimittis from All-Night Vigil, op.37, arr. Rachmaninov (n.d.)
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

CD 9
- Sonata in G minor for cello and piano, op.19
Heinrich Schiff (cello), Elisabeth Leonskaja (piano)

- 2 Pieces, op.2 [I Prélude II Danse orientale]
- Mélodie on a Theme by S. Rachmaninov
- Lied in F minor for cello and piano (1890)
- Vocalise, op.34 no.14 Transcr. Lynn Harrell
Lynn Harrell (cello), Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

- Piano Sonata No.2 in B flat major, op.36 (Revised version, 1931)
Peter Jablonski (piano)

CD 10
- Trio élégiaque No.1 in G minor for piano, violin and cello
- Trio élégiaque No.2 in D minor for piano, violin and cello, op.9
Beaux Arts Trio

CD 11 Chamber Music
- Romance in A minor
Dene Olding (violin), Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

- String Quartet No.1
Goldner String Quartet

- 2 Pieces, op.6
Dene Olding (violin), Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

- String Quartet No.2
Goldner String Quartet

- Modest Mussorgsky: Hopak (Sorochintsy Fair, transcr. Rachmaninov, 1923/4)
Dene Olding (violin), Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

- Prayer (Molitva) (Konstantin Romanov), rev. Nina Koshetz
- All nature sings (Vsyo khochet pet) (Konstantin Romanov), rev. Nina Koshetz
Joan Rodgers (soprano), Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)
 
CD 12 Songs
1. Oh, Do Not Sing To Me (Ne poy, krasavitsa, pri mne) Op.4, No.4
2. The Harvest Of Sorrow (Uzh tï, niva moya), Op.4, No.5
3. How Beautiful It Is Here (Zdes' khorosho), Op.21, No.7
4. In My Garden At Night (Noch'yu v sadu u menya), Op.38, No.1
5. To Her (K nye), Op.38, No.2
6. Margaritki (Daisies), Op.38, No.3
7. The Pied Piper (Krisolov), Op.38, No.4
8. Dreams (Son), Op.38, No.5
9. "A-oo" (The Quest), Op.38, No.6
10. The Muse (Muza), Op.34, No.1
11. The Storm (Burya), Op.34, No.3
12. The Poet (Ti znal evo), Op.34, No.9
13. The Morn Of Life (Sey den' ya pomnyu), Op.34, No.10
14. What Wealth Of Rapture (Kakoye schast'ye), Op.34, No.12
15. Dissonance (Dissonans), Op.34, No.13
16. Vocalise, Op.34, No.14
17. In The Mysterious Silence Of The Night (V molchani nochi taynoy), Op.4, No.3
18. How Long, My Friend (Davno l', moy drug), Op.4, No.6
19. My Love Has Brought Me Sorrow (Poliubila ya na pechal svoyu), Op.8, No.4
20. A Dream (Son), Op.8, No.5
21. I Am Waiting For You (Ya zhdu tebya), Op.14, No.1
22. The Isle (Ostrovok), Op.14, No.2
23. These Summer Nights (Eti letniye nochi), Op.14, No.5
24. Everyone Loves You So (Tebya tak lyubyat vse), Op.14, No.6
25. Do Not Believe Me, My Friend (Ne ver mne, drug!), Op.14, No.7
26. Spring Waters (Vesenniye vodi), Op.14, No.11
Elisabeth Söderström (soprano), Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

CD 13 Songs
1. Fate (Sud'ba), Op.21, No.1
2. A Passing Breeze (Veter perelyitniy), Op.34, No.4
3. Arion, Op.34, No.5
4. The Raising Of Lazarus (Voskresheniye Lazarya), Op.34, No.6
5. It Cannot Be! (Ne mozhet bit!), Op.34, No.7
6. Music (Muzika), Op.34, No.8
7. Beside A New Grave (Nad svezhey mogiloy), Op.21, No.2
8. Twilight (Sumerki), Op.21, No.3
9. The Answer (Oni otvechali), Op.21, No.4
10. Lilacs (Siren'), Op.21, No.5
11. Loneliness (Fragment from A. Musset) (Odinochestvo), Op.21, No.6
12. On The Death Of A Linnet (Na smert' chizhika), Op.21, No.8
13. Melody (Melodiya), Op.21, No.9
14. Before The Ikon (Pred ikonoy), Op.21, No.10
15. I Am No Prophet (Ya ne prorok), Op.21, No.11
16. How I Languish (Kak mne bol'no), Op.21 No.12
17. To The Children (K detyam), Op.26, No.7
18. Before My Window (U moyevo okna), Op.26, No.10
19. The Fountain (Fontan), Op.26, No.11
20. The Night Is Mournful (Noch pechal'na), Op.26, No.12
21. The Ring (Kol'tso), Op.26, No.1
22. Powdered Paint (Folksong), transcribed Ashkenazy
23. I Shall Tell You Nothing (Ya tebe nichevo ne skazu)
24. Again you leapt, my heart (Opyat vstrepenulos ti, serdtse)
25. April! A Festive Spring Day (C'était en avril)
26. Twilight Has Fallen (Smerkalos')
27. Oh No, I Beg You, Foresake me Not! (O nyet, molyu, ne ukhodi!), Op.4, No.1
28. Morning (Utro), Op.4, No.2
29. The Waterlily (Rechnaya lileya), Op.8, No.1
Elisabeth Söderström (soprano), Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

CD 14 Songs
1. Child, You Are Beautiful Like a Flower (Ditya kak tsvetok ti prekrasnaya) Op.8, No.2
2. Brooding (Duma), Op.8, No.3
3. Prayer, Op.8, No.6 [Molitva]
4. How Few The Joys (Davno v lyubvi otradi malo) Op.14, No.3
5. I Was With Her (Ya bil u ney) Op.14, No.4
6. The Heart's Secret (Yest' mnogo zvukov), Op.26, No.1
7. Vengeful God Has Taken Everything (Vsyo otnya u menya), Op.26, No.2
8. We Shall Rest (Mi otdokhnyom), Op.26, No.3
9. Two Partings (Dva proshchaniya), Op.26, No.4
10. My Love, Let Us Escape (Pokinem, milaya), Op.26, No.5
11. Christ Is Risen (Khristos voskres), Op.26, No.6
12. Margaritki (Daisies), Op.38, No.3
13. Oh Do Not Grieve For Me (O, ne grusti!), Op.14, No.8
14. She Is As Fair As Day (Ona, kak polden' khorosha), Op.14, No.9
15. Within My Heart (V moyey dushe), Op.14, No.10
16. It Is Time (Pora), Op.14, No.12
17. I Pray For Mercy (Poshchadi ya molyu!), Op.26, No.8
18. I Am Alone Again (Ya opyat odinok), Op.26, No.9
19. Yesterday We Met (Vchera mi vstretilis'), Op.26, No.13
20. All Things Pass Away (Prokhodit vse), Op.26, No.15
21. The Soul's Concealment (V dushe u kazhdovo iz nas), Op.34, No.2
22. With Holy Banner Firmly Held (khorugv' svyashchennuyu), Op.34, No.11
23. By The Gates Of The Holy Dwelling (U vrat obiteli svyatoy)
24. Song Of Disappointment (Pesnya razocharovannova)
25. A Flower Fell (Uvyal tsvetok)
26. Do You Remember That Evening? (Ti pomnish' li vecher?)
27. Did You Hiccough, Natasha? (Ikalos' li tebe?)
28. Night (Noch')
29. Letter to K.S.Stanislavski (Pis'mo K.S. Stanislavkomu)
30. From St. John's Gospel (Iz Evangeliya ot Ioanna)
31. Lilacs (Siren'), Op.21, No.5 (arr. for piano by composer)
Elisabeth Söderström (soprano), Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)

CD 15
- Piano Concerto No.1 in F sharp minor, op.1
- Piano Concerto No.4 in G minor, op.40
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op.43
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)
London Symphony Orchestra / André Previn

CD 16
- Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, op.18
- Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, op.30
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)
London Symphony Orchestra / André Previn

CD 17
- Piano Concerto No.1 in F sharp minor, op.1 (original version)
- Piano Concerto No.4 in G minor, op.40 (original version)
Alexander Ghindin (piano)
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy

CD 18
- Symphony No.1 in D minor, op.13
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy

- Symphonic Dances, op.45
Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam / Vladimir Ashkenazy

CD 19
- Symphony No.2 in E minor, op.27
London Philharmonic Orchestra / Walter Weller
- The Isle of the Dead (Ostrov myortvïkh), op.29
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra / Edo de Waart

CD 20
- Symphony No.3 in A minor, op.44
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy

- The Bells (Kolokola), op.35
Natalia Troitskaya (soprano), Ryszard Karczykowski (tenor), Tom Krause (baritone)
Chorus of the Concertgebouw Orchestra
Concertgebouw Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy

CD 21
- Prince Rostislav: Symphonic poem after Tolstoy (1891)
- Caprice bohémien, op.12
Sidney Symphony Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy

- The Rock (Utyos) Symphonic poem after Chekhov Na puti, op.7
Philadelphia Orchestra / Charles Dutoit
 
- Études-tableaux orch. Respighi, P160
Etudes-Tableaux, Op.39
2. The Sea & Seagulls
7. Funeral March
6. Little Red Riding Hood & The Wolf
9. March
Etudes-Tableaux, Op.33
4. Fair Scene
Sidney Symphony Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy

CD 22
- Scherzo in D minor (1888)
Sidney Symphony Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy

- “Youth” Symphony (1891)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy

- Vocalise, op.34 no.14 (for orchestra)
Sidney Symphony Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy

- 6 Choruses, op.15
Prague Philharmonic Choir / Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano & conductor)

- Vesna (Spring), op.20 (Nikolai Nekrasov)
Sergei Leiferkus (baritone), Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Orchestra / Charles Dutoit

- Russkie Pesni (Three Russian Songs), op.41
Chorus of the Concertgebouw Orchestra
Concertgebouw Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy

- Panteley-tselitel (Panteley the Healer) (1899) (A.K. Tolstoy)
- Khor dukhov k drame Don Zhuan (Chorus of Spirits for Don Juan)
- V molitvakh neusïpayushchuyu bogoroditsu (O Mother of God vigilantly praying) (1893)
Russian State Symphonic Cappella / Valeri Polyansky

- Deus meus (1890)
Vocal Ensemble C Sharp Minor / Elger Niels

CD 23
- Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, op.31
Alexander Ranne (tenor) (Protoyerey), Sergey Tsipcalo (baritone) (Diakon), Natalia Kornieva (soprano)
St Petersburg Chamber Choir / Nikolai Korniev

CD 24
- Vespers (All-Night Vigil) (Vsenoshchnoye Bdeniye), op.37
Olga Borodina (mezzo-soprano), Vladimir Moztovoy (tenor)
St Petersburg Chamber Choir / Nikolai Korniev

CD 25
- Monna Vanna
Sherrill Milnes, Seth McCoy, Blythe Walker, Nickolas Karousatos, Jon Thorsteinsson, Guidos Leutnant
Icelandic Opera Chorus, Iceland Symphony Orchestra / Igor Buketoff

CD 26
- Aleko
Sergei Leiferkus, Ilya Levinsky, Anatoli Kotscherga, Maria Guleghina, Anne Sofie von Otter
Gothenburg Opera Chorus, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra / Neeme Järvi

CD 27
- The Miserly Knight, op.24
Sergei Aleksashkin, Sergei Larin, Vladimir Chernov, Ian Caley, Anatoli Kotscherga
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (Göteborgs Symfoniker) / Neeme Järvi

CD 28
- Francesca da Rimini, op.25
Sergei Aleksashkin, Ilya Levinsky, Sergei Leiferkus, Maria Guleghina, Sergei Larin
Gothenburg Opera Chorus, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra / Neeme Järvi 

CD 29
- Piano Concerto No.1 in F sharp minor, op.1
Byron Janis (piano)
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra / Kirill Kondrashin

- Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, op.18
Sviatoslav Richter (piano)
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra / Stanislaw Wislocki

CD 30
- Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, op.30
Martha Argerich (piano)
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin / Riccardo Chailly

- Piano Concerto No.4 in G minor, op.40
Zoltán Kocsis (piano)
San Francisco Symphony / Edo de Waart

CD 31 Rachmaninov’s Ampico Piano Recordings (1919–29)
The historic performances presented on this disc were reproduced on a specially adapted Estonia 9’ concert grand.
- Morceaux de fantaisie, op.3
- Barcarolle in G minor, op.10 no.3
- Humoreske in G major, op.10 no.5
- Prélude in G minor, op.23 no.5 4.
- Étude-tableau in B minor, op.39 no.4
- Étude-tableau in A minor, op.39 no.6
 
Rachmaninov Transcriptions:
- Rachmaninov: Lilacs, op.21 no.5 (1914)
- Polka de V.R. (after Vassili Rachmaninov, 1911)
- Modest Mussorgsky: Hopak (Sorochintsy Fair, 1923/4)
- Franz Schubert: “Wohin?” (Die schöne Müllerin, 1925)
- Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Flight of the Bumblebee 
- The Star-Spangled Banner (John Stafford Smith, 1918)
- Fritz Kreisler: Liebesleid (Alt-Wiener Tanzweisen, 1921)
- Kreisler: Liebesfreud (Alt-Wiener Tanzweisen, 1925)

CD 32 The Real Rachmaninov
Rob Cowan interview with Vladimir Ashkenazy