This 10-CD set will appeal to those who simply love the piano, and who want to add to their CD collection some of the greatest concertos and sonatas ever written for piano. It will also appeal to those who are fascinated not only by the great music, but also by the people who play such challenging music.

On these CDs is a remarkable collection of performers. From great artists of the last century such as Richter, Anda, Gilels and Wild – all of whom rank as among the very greatest pianist of all time - to the young Brendel, recorded at the beginning of his career in the early 1960s in two Mozart concertos. Brendel recently retired from performing and recording, having become one of the greatest interpreters of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert.

The younger generation is represented by early recordings by performers who are still only in their 30s. Kissin and Lugansky represent the long line of Russian school virtuosos that can be traced back to Anton Rubinstein, Sergei Prokofiev, Sergei Rachmaninov, Benno Moseiwitch, Nikolai Medtner, and of course Richter and Gilels.

Contents:
CD 1 [73’23]
Schubert: Piano Sonatas D566 & D894
Sviatoslav Richter (piano)

CD 2 [65’46]
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 1 & 4
Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Earl Wild (piano)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Jascha Horenstein

CD 3 [72’39]
Beethoven: Piano Concertos 3 & 5 ‘Emperor’
Emil Gilels (piano)
State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR / Kurt Masur

CD 4 [57’27]
Schumann: Kreisleriana · Davidsbündlertänze
Géza Anda (piano)

CD 5 [61’00]
Mozart: Piano Concertos 19 & 20
Alfred Brendel (piano)
Orchestra of the Vienna Volksoper / Wilfried Boettcher

CD 6 [52’47]
Liszt: Piano Concertos 1 & 2 · Totentanz
Nelson Freire (piano)
Dresdner Philharmonie / Michel Plasson

CD 7 [63’57]
Rachmaninov: Études-tableaux Opp. 33 & 39
Nikolai Lugansky (piano)

CD 8 [63’05]
Chopin: Piano Concertos 1 & 2
Evgeny Kissin (piano)
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra / Dmitri Kitaenko

CD 9 [74’36]
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies
Artur Pizarro (piano)

CD 10 [55’04]
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.2
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G
Hélène Grimaud (piano)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Jesús López-Cobos