Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35 'Marche funèbre'

These performances by some of the world’s best known pianists are all live recordings from the Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.

MURRAY PERAHIA, winner of the 2010 BBC Music Magazine Instrumental Category Award, is one of the most highly praised pianists in the world today. His poetic phrasing, command of sonorities and supreme virtuosity are perfect for the technical finesse and romantic musicality required by Chopin’s compositions. These five albums give ample opportunity for the listener to experience Perahia’s considered and superb interpretations of Chopin’s much loved masterpieces.

This release is a tribute to the pianism of Percy Grainger who died 50 years ago in February 1961. Grainger was the most reluctant of virtuosos, always wishing that he he would be remembered primarily as a composer, yet his fame as an executant and the large number of recordings he made, attest to his greatness as a pianist.. Very few of Grainger’s recordings are currently available, and indeed many have never been transfered to CD before, so this set is a discographic landmark which finally reveals, in state-of-the-art transfers by Ward Marston, the true glory of Grainger the performer. His particular passions of Bach and Grieg are well represented (he become a close friend and favoured interpreter of the latter in that composer’s last years) but there are also ground-breaking performances of some of the great warhorses of the 19th century. In particular, Grainger’s recording of the Chopin B minor Sonata, the first ever of that work, has long been regarded as one of the classics of the Gramophone. Finally, there are 26 tracks of Grainger playing Grainger - surely these definitive performances alone attest to the timeless importance of this ouvre.

Martha Argerich is one of Deutsche Grammophon’s most charismatic artists. Her recordings have been in the catalogue for more than 40 years. Many – like her Debut Recital of 1960 and her Chopin Preludes of 1977– are still bestsellers.

In the 1990s DG released the successful Martha Argerich Collection on 11 CDs. Now we are bringing out a completely revamped concept of the Collection, starting with the 8 solo LPs she made for DG between 1960 and 1983. These were among the most celebrated recordings of their time – each one a revelation of this unique artist’s genius. Here, for the first time, they have been brought together in one box-set, in chronological order, as originally programmed, with original LP-cover artwork on the individual CD sleeves, and all-new liner notes (by Jed Distler), plus some rare photos (including an unpublished one of Ms. Argerich with Friedrich Gulda in Vienna, 1955). The recordings are essential listening – especially since they have been newly remastered for this edition, with optimal sound quality. For those who know and love these recordings, this is the edition to have.

This box will be followed up by two further boxes to include Martha Argerich’s Concerto and Chamber Ensemble recordings for Deutsche Grammophon (2009).

Piano Classics is the ideal introduction to the world of the keyboard. Over nine hours of critically acclaimed performances of keyboard masterworks by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin and Liszt. Artists featured include Bernard Roberts, Shura Cherkassky, Vlado Perlemuter and Martin Jones. Extensive booklet notes will open a world of discovery.