[ Deutsche Grammophon / 8 CD Box Set ]
Release Date: Thursday 20 June 2019
8 CDs presenting outstanding performances from Deutsche Grammophon's unrivalled roster of pianists accompanied by the two pillars of German musical life: the Berlin Philharmonic and the Staatskapelle Berlin.
The remarkable recordings presented here represent different layers of style and time, featuring: Géza Anda, Martha Argerich, Daniel Barenboim, Andor Foldes, Emil Gilels, Katia and Marielle Labèque, Maurizio Pollini and Yundi.
"Always authoritative, Barenboim is by turns graceful and gutsy, an especially good combination in the E minor Concerto - and his orchestra, the Berlin Staatskapelle (here under Andris Nelsons), responds warmly, with wonderful woodwind solos. In the strongly accented, dancing finales to both concertos, Barenboim leads the way with playing of suppleness and wit." Five Stars BBC Music [Barenboim/Chopin]
"Yundi Li's performance of the Prokofiev, in its prodigious, unflagging power and brilliance, far surpasses any other in the catalogue. He is no less attuned to Ravel's charm and vivacity, to music seen through a glass brightly rather than darkly." Gramophone [Yundi Li/Prokofiev-Ravel]
"Argerich has never sounded on better terms with the piano, more virtuoso yet engagingly human. Lyrical and insinuating, to a degree her performance seems to be made of the tumultuous elements themselves, of fire and ice, rain and sunshine." Gramophone [Argerich/Tchaikovsky]
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58
Maurizio Pollini (piano)
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 83
Brahms: Intermezzi, Op. 116
Emil Gilels (piano)
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21
Daniel Barenboim (piano)
Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, S124
Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major, S125
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
Andor Foldes (piano)
Mozart: Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra No. 10 in E flat, K365
Mozart: Concerto for Three Pianos & Orchestra, K242
Katia Labèque, Marielle Labèque (pianos), Semyon Bychkov (piano/conductor)
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major
Yundi Li (piano)
Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54
Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16
Géza Anda (piano)
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a
Martha Argerich (piano), Nicolas Economou (piano)