Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21

A radically improved re-mastering of our first version of this release, using the original lacquer discs as the audio source. This new version also includes the radio announcements and commentary tha"t accompanied the original broadcast.

A former child prodigy who had already made his concerto debut by the age of 10, Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin is one of today’s most celebrated musicians. The maestro is particularly renowned for his interpretation of the Romantic literature, and in this fantastic compilation we are treated to some of his finest recordings within the genre – recordings which, spanning three CDs, centre around two giants of the piano world, Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt. The survey begins with a live performance of Chopin’s two piano concertos, taken from the legendary 1984 Moscow concert that catapulted the 12-year-old genius to international fame.

We then move on to some of the Polish composer’s best-loved and most demanding repertoire for solo piano; as well as featuring a selection of dance miniatures in the form of mazurkas and waltzes, the set also presents three affecting nocturnes, not to mention Chopin’s final piano sonata – a lengthy work whose performance lasts over 25 minutes – and the magnificent Fantaisie in F minor Op.49. Running the full gamut of emotions, from exuberance to extreme sorrow, Kissin’s recital draws to a spectacular close with a series of show-stopping numbers by Liszt – including the highly popular Liebestraum No.3 in A flat and the fiercely virtuosic Rhapsodie Espagnole. There’s everything to delight the Romantic connoisseur and piano aficionado alike in this superb collection, full of style and based on a series of recordings that capture the early Kissin in his teenage years.