Solo Piano 1

Andante reference library set in a nice hardcover bound book style package in a thin slipcase, holding 4 CDs with trilingual notes and essays on the material in the set. They feature a fine digital transfer from the original 78 rpm disks, with minimal digital processing to remove the surface noise and hiss of the originals.These historic recordings from the begining of the "disk" era feature both acoustical and electrical recordings that are very listenable, maybe not on headphones, despite the inherent surface noise from the analog recording process of the time, because they also have all of the music that usually gets loss by over use of digital "cleaning" to make the recordings sound modern.These sound like what people heard at the time they were new. The early recordings are a little hissy, the mid 1930's have more surface noise due to material scarcity and attempts to conserve the raw materials, the 1940's recordings sound like early lp recordings, not 78's.Contents with year of recording and artist.Preludes Op28 1943 - CortotEtude Op10e 1932 - BusoniPreludes Op28o 1928 - FriedmanScherzo Op20 1932 - RubinsteinScherzo Op31 1939 - MichelangeliScherzo Op39 1932 - RubinsteinScherzo Op54 1936 - HorowitzSonata Op35 1930 - RachmaninoffSonata Op58 1947 - LipattiBallade Op23 1950 - CasadesusBallade Op38 1950 - CasadesusBallade Op47 1950 - CasadesusBallade Op52 1950 - CasadesusChopin Spinato et grande polonaise Op22 1935 - RubinsteinFantasie Op49 1932 - SolomonBerceuse Op57 1918 - HofmannBerceuse Op57 1928 - KoczlaskiBerceuse Op57 1949 - CortotBarcarole Op60 1946 - RubinsteinImpromptu 1 Op29 1951 - HorowitzImpromptu 2 Op36 1933 - CortotImpromptu 1 Op29 1946 - RubinsteinFantasie impromptu Op66 1921 - GodowskyFantasie impromptu Op66 1929 - BrailowskyEcossaises Op72c 1937 - KoczlaskiEcossaises Op72c 1938 - BrailowskyWaltz Op18 1934 - CortotWaltz Op34 1934 - CortotWaltz Op42 1934 - CortotWaltz Op64 1934 - CortotWaltz Op69 1934 - CortotWaltz Op70 1934 - CortotWaltz KKIVo 1934 - CortotWaltz Op18 1950 - LipattiWaltz Op34a 1918 - HofmannWaltz Op34a 1928 - RubinsteinWaltz Op34a 1947 - LipattiWaltz Op34c 1940 - SauerWaltz Op42 1933 - TagliaferroWaltz Op64a 1936 - GiesekingWaltz Op64b 1917 - PaderewskiWaltz Op64b 1950 - LipattiWaltz KKIVo 1930 - RachmaninoffIf you like historic recordings, Andante did a great job and Volume 2 of this set is now out of print and speculatively priced in the used market. Solo Piano 2

I like this album! It opened new worlds for me, of great Chopin interpreters of long, long ago. I bought both volumes of the album by mistake, hoping to get a full album of Alexandre Brailovski's keyboard work. But I'm very pleased with the music. It should be noted I am not a musician of any kind and have a somewhat limited background in classical music. But a friend who is both a professional musician and quite knowledgeable in these matters says the recordings of these artists of bygone days are, well, priceless!!

Amazon hasn't listed contents of this 4CD set. It includes performances of the Waltzes, Impromptus, Scherzos, Andante spianato and Grande polonaise, Ballades, Études, Préludes, the 2nd & 3rd Sonatas, Barcarolle and Berceuse. The pianists include Cortot, Busoni, Ignacy Friedman, Rubinstein, Michelangeli, Horowitz, Rachmaninov, Lipatti, Casadesus, Solomon, Hofmann, Raoul Koczalski, Godowsky, Brailowsky, von Sauer, Magda Tagliaferro, Gieseking and Paderewski. Whew! Some talent line-up!The performances are wonderful, the sound is actually quite good considering the age of some of these recordings.It's self-recommending, wouldn't you agree?There is an equally impressive second volume with other repertoire but many of the same pianists:  Chopin: Solo Piano, Vol. 2 Scott Morrison

This is a terrific collection. A must for lovers of Chopin and of piano music in general.