The best-known piano studies are the 27 by Chopin, most of them composed in the 1830s. But Chopin did not create the genre: a number of prominent pianist-composers had already established the piano study, or étude, in the decades before Chopin sat down to write his. Although this repertoire is as good as unknown today, it is a treasure-trove of miniature jewels, many of them announcing the dawn of Romanticism in their combination of Classical delicacy and a new harmonic warmth.

Toccata Next maintains the spirit of discovery of Toccata Classics: interesting programmes of generally unknown music, and from as wide a catchment area – geographically, historically, stylistically – as possible. But Toccata Next has a more catholic policy on repertoire, free from the Toccata Classics policy of presenting one composer at a time. Like its parent label, though, Toccata Next generally presents first recordings – of fascinating music you won’t find anywhere else.