Chopin: Prelude Op. 28 No. 2 in A minor

Regis presents a 6 CD box of Chopin’s piano works played by their greatest ever exponent, Artur Rubinstein. The box includes classic recordings of the Ballades, Scherzi, Nocturnes, Mazurkas, Preludes, Waltzes and Polonaises at an incredible price. An indispensible set for lovers of Chopin and piano music in general.

‘One of the greatest pianists of the century ..... a Chopinist ..... without peer.’ New York Times

Born in 1941, and currently chief conductor of the Orchestre de Paris, Christoph Eschenbach is one of today’s foremost conductor-pianists. This fascinating retrospective focuses on his brilliant early career as a pianist, when his searching musical intelligence, formidable technique and enthusiastic engagement with the music of his, and our, time produced many recordings that have stood the test of time.

Ates Orga’s detailed booklet notes offer a personal account from the man himself of his troubled start in life as an orphan, without the power of speech, learning to love and communicate through music. His quite fierce style is shaped by his admiration of great German intellectual musicians such as Edwin Fischer and Wilhelm Furtwängler, and finds an ideal analogue in the works of Beethoven, such as the Third and Fifth Piano Concertos, and the mighty ‘Hammerklavier’ Sonata included in this set. Equally his refinement, evident nowadays in the French music he conducts in Paris and in his recordings with the Philadelphia orchestra, is reflected in his early portrayals of the romantic genius of Chopin (the Préludes) and Schumann (Kinderszenen).

His long friendship with Hans Werner Henze led the great German composer to write the Piano Concerto No.2 for Eschenbach, and this vast, Shakespeare-inspired work remains Henze at his boldest and most compelling, like Eschenbach himself, soaked in the German artistic tradition but finding new outgrowths from it.

Of appeal to connoisseurs of the piano and to new-music enthusiasts Will receive coverage in the serious musical press.

New coupling: no comparable set available

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).