Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, S124

Just 10 months ago we released the first volume in the new Martha Argerich Collection (the solo recodings). Over 10,000 boxes of the 8-CD set have been sold since then.

Here now is Volume 2 – the Concerto Recordings, on 7 CDs, comprising all of her concerto recordings with Deutsche Grammophon, from her scintillating début playing Prokofiev and Ravel under Claudio Abbado in 1967 to her most recent collaboration with the same conductor in 2004. In between come classic recordings of Chopin, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and Beethoven with Charles Dutoit, Mstislav Rostropovich and Giuseppe Sinopoli, as well as a memorable collaboration with Gidon Kremer (in Mendelssohn) and dazzling virtuosity in Haydn and Shostakovich.

The cover is still more alluring, the contents equally fascinating, and the packaging just as attractive – with original LP-cover artwork, new liner notes (by Jed Distler again) and rare photos. The recordings have been newly mastered for this release.

This box will be followed up by one more to include Martha Argerich’s complete Chamber Ensemble recordings for Deutsche Grammophon (2010).

9 CDs and Bonus DVD for the price of 8

A stunning boxed set from the Idil Biret Archive comprising some of Liszt’s most loved pieces and transcriptions for piano. Includes a bonus DVD.

10CD boxed set collects all of Berezovsky’s recordings for both Teldec and Warner Classics.

Boris Berezovsky has established a great reputation, both as the most powerful of virtuoso pianists and as a musician gifted with a unique insight and a great sensitivity. He is regularly invited by the most prominent orchestras including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Rome), Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de France and Philharmonia Orchestra (London). He will make his debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker in January 2012 With Teldec, Boris Berezovksy has recorded works of Chopin, Schumann, Rachmaninov, Mussorgsky, Balakirev, Medtner, Ravel and the complete Liszt Transcendental Studies. His recording of the Rachmaninov sonatas was awarded the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik and his Ravel disc was recommended by Le Monde de la Musique, Diapason, BBC Music Magazine and Independent on Sunday. Boris Berezovsky also won the BBC Music Magazine Awards in 2006.

In October 2004, still with Warner Classics International, the Berezovsky Trio recorded the Shostakovich Trio n°2 and Rachmaninov Trio Elégiaque n°2, which were awarded the Choc de la Musique in France, the Gramophone Award in the UK and the Echo Classic 2005 in Germany. His Solo live recording of the Chopin/Godowsky Etudes, released in January 2006, received the Diapason d'Or and the RTL d'Or.

Wilhelm Kempff was one of the truly great German pianists and one of the most remarkable performing artists of the 20th century. Kempff was renowned for his interpretations of Beethoven and this 10-CD compilation features performances of all five of the composer’s Piano Concertos made with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1953, and the Waldstein, Moonlight, Pathétique and Les Adieux Sonatas. The set also includes performances of Mozart, Schumann, Liszt, Chopin, and Brahms recorded between 1953 and 1958.

This 10CD 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. On these CDs are Richter playing Schubert’s sonata D894, Gilels in Beethoven’s concerto 3&5, Anda in a Schumann recital, Brendel in Mozart concertos 19&20, Freire in Liszt concertos 1&2 and Totentanz, Lugansky in Rachmaninov’s Etudes Tableaux, Kissin is Chopin concertos 1&2, Pizarro in Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies, and Grimaud in Rachmaninov’s Second concerto, and Ravel’s G major concerto.