Complete Works For Piano

Ates Orga writes in the liner notes: For two hundred years piano four hands, the piano four hands, has belonged to the domestic drawing room. More than a few composers have learnt their classics through the medium. More than one romance has been kindled through the entwining and crossing of hands across the piano keys. Yet while the repertory may overflow in arrangements, it is surprisingly wanting in original music. Single volumes of Mozart (significant) and Beethoven (less so), three volumes of Schubert (seminally important), some Schumann (variable), the four books of Dvorák's Slavonic Dances (indispensable) grace most pianos but that is about all. Given such paucity, Brahms' contribution, dating largely from between the early (1852-66) and late (1892-93) solo piano works, is the more to be prized. This 18-piece box set contains all Brahms' autograph arrangements for piano four hands, as well as his arrangements of compositions by Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann and Joseph Joachim. This is the first complete recording of these works, and comprises critically acclaimed previously released material.