Review & Index: Aldo Ciccolini – Complete Recordings on EMI, 1950–1991 (56 CD)

Review

Less than six months ago, on February 1, 2015, Aldo Ciccolini, one of the most original and underrated pianists of the last century, left us forever, aged 89. He will be remembered, not the least because in 2009 EMI released this impressive box-set of his complete recordings for this (no longer existing) label.

Aldo Ciccolini’s recorded repertoire in this collection is, to say the least, peculiar. The greatest missing name is Beethoven – only the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata and Für Elise. Other great names are presented highly selectively. Schumann enjoys the limited presence of only two of his famous cycles; Mozart fares better with a dozen sonatas and several sets of variations, but no concertos; Aldo says he loves Rachmaninoff, but we have here only the Second Concerto and two preludes. Come to think of it, Chopin is not exactly conspicuous, either. Except for the 18 waltzes, the F minor Fantaisie and the Cello Sonata, the rest are miscellaneous small pieces. No ballades, no scherzos, no sonatas. The only polonaise is one that Frederic composed when he was eight!

All this is a considerable loss for posterity. Aldo’s Mozart and Chopin can be strangely stiff on occasion, but they are always full of his typically quirky touches which inject new life into the most worn-out pieces. Schumann’s deceptively simple Kinderszenen are played with grace and lightness not always encountered in these overplayed yet underappreciated pieces. Aldo’s Brahms is astonishing! Those wonderful late opuses, alternating between defiance and melancholy, have rarely been played in a more profound way. Personally, I am willing to put Aldo as a Brahmsian on par with Wilhelm Kempff. This is the greatest compliment I can pay to him. Much the same, by the way, can be said of Aldo as a Schubertian! He plays the impromptus with so much panache and brio, qualities so unknown in these days of caution at the keyboard, that I am sorry he recorded only two sonatas and one musical moment more by the same composer.

Ciccolini seems to have had an affinity for neglected repertoire. Among the Russians he recorded, there are such rarities like Borodine, Arensky and Kabalevsky. He recorded twice complete Liszt’s Années and Harmonies, mighty cycles, one of three books and 23 pieces and another of 10 pieces, which are seldom encountered in toto even today, let alone in the 50s or 60s. Yet his Lisztian discography does not include warhorses like the Sonata or the Second Polonaise. I have written of Aldo’s impressive Liszt elsewhere. Here I can only salute EMI’s decision to include two, sometimes even three, different recordings of many works. Aldo’s interpretations didn’t change greatly through the years, but comparisons are still fascinating. By the way, it may be noted that the Lisztian box-set doesn’t include the stellar early recordings, albeit in limiting mono sound, of the Second Ballade, Funerailles and Mephisto Waltz No. 1.

Though born and bred Italian, Neapolitan to be exact, Aldo spent most of his life in France. He has recorded enormous amount of French music and for this France owes him gratitude that cannot be overestimated. Debussy and Satie reign over all of the others: Aldo recorded their virtually complete works, many of them twice or even thrice. I don’t know about Satie, who strikes me as somebody who tries to do what Schumann has done so well before, but Aldo’s Debussy is exquisite. In certain pieces he may have superiors (e.g. Ivan Moravec’s Pour le piano), but as an integral recording he can easily hold his own with anybody. Even in the French repertoire, however, there are strange omissions. Aldo declared both of Ravel’s concertos to be “masterpieces” and made tremendous recordings of them with Jean Martinon. It seems bizarre that this collection should contain only one of Ravel’s works for solo piano! No Gaspard, no Couperin, no Sonatine, no Valses, no Miroirs. Odd!

On the other hand, Ciccolini’s French discography contains numerous forgotten curiosities. Who the heck is Déodat de Séverac? I haven’t the faintest idea, but Aldo recorded more than two discs with his music. Who knew that Massenet had composed almost as much piano music himself, including a charming piano concerto? Franck’s Variations symphoniques is tolerably well-known, but what about Les Djinns, a symphonic poem for piano and orchestra? Well, Aldo recorded it twice, once with Andre Cluytens and once with Paul Strauss, both in stereo and both well worth hearing. Equally unknown but equally fascinating, at least to me, are d’Indy’s and Castillon’s works for piano and orchestra.

Rarities for solo piano abound, too. In addition to Massenet and Séverac, both of them apparently shelved for good, there is a whole disc with Chabrier that is a must-hear. The piano transcription of España (by one Camille Chevillard) is particularly notable. If you think that the colourful orchestration of Chabrier’s original cannot be rendered on the piano, you should hear this stunning performance by Aldo Ciccolini. The piece sounds more Gershwinesque than ever and is a huge fun to listen to. Chabrier’s virtually unknown Pièces pittoresques also contain much of interest. Outside the realm of French music, rarities for solo piano worth an attentive ear include Rossini’s delicious Péchés de vieillesse, Grieg’s not unknown but still underrated Sonata and Ballade, and Liszt’s First Ballade, all of them played with Ciccolini’s trademark combination of passion and sensitivity.

Aldo said that Spanish folk music was the only one he “genuinely admired”. This is reflected in his recorded legacy for EMI, at least as much as the relatively poor Spanish piano literature allows. Even the most famous examples, for instance Albeniz’s Iberia and Granados’s Goyescas, if they can be said to be part of the standard repertoire at all, have never been performed or recorded very often. Works for piano and orchestra like de Falla’s Noches en los jardines de Espagña and Albeniz’s First Piano Concerto, both of them grand romantic works (much like Massenet’s virtuoso piano concerto), are vastly forgotten. Listening to Aldo’s stylish performances, one wonders why this music isn’t played more often. It’s a shame.

The booklet contains a predictably purple essay, titled “Courage and Silence”, by one Olivier Bellamy. It is useful for obtaining a fairly detailed biography of Aldo Ciccolini, but when it tries to evaluate his personality and musicianship one is wise to take it with a healthy dose of scepticism. Much the more important contribution of Monsieur Bellamy is that he had the unique opportunity to interview the great pianist. The most surprising and delightful feature of the booklet are Aldo Ciccolini’s own thoughts. I am very glad he agreed to share them especially for this very special edition.  

Aldo is quite a character indeed! He is refreshingly irreverent. Brahms’ Paganini Variations are “extraordinarily stupid”, Balakirev’s Islamey is so full of “gratuitous virtuosity” that it is “completely devoid of music”, not all the notes in Rachmaninoff’s Third Concerto are “of equal interest”, some of Shostakovich’s Preludes and Fugues are “excruciatingly ugly – not in an intelligent way; it’s an ugliness born of ignorance”, and so on and so forth. But I absolutely love this passage on the good old Igor:

Music can suggest just about anything, but it can never make statements. To believe it can is to put music on the path of decadence. That is why I have always found Stravinsky unbearable. He is a show-off, just like Picasso, who indulged in provocation to earn ever more money. I have more respect for Dali (his Christ in Space has influenced me a lot) because I find him more sincere than Picasso. Picasso changed style out of sheer opportunism. Liszt was just as a sincere in the B minor Sonata as had been earlier in the Hungarian Rhapsodies.

Few would agree about Stravinsky, fewer about Picasso, and fewer still about Liszt. I am in the infinitesimal minority that agrees with everything. Many of Ciccolini’s provocative remarks, though very short and not devoid of clichés, give the impression of being well thought-out. He is often perceptive and thought-provoking. For instance:

Prokofiev is unpredictable: you never know what he is going to write three bars later.

[Grieg] is more loved than admired.

I find [Scarlatti] interesting in the extreme; his sonatas are the work of a jovial troublemaker. Harmonically, they must have seemed scandalous at the time. The harpsichord is too fragile to do justice to his unbridled inventiveness and his unique blend of tenderness and fierce irony. Scarlatti’s writing is incredibly pianistic and very virtuoso, but it never descends into the gratuitous virtuosity you find in certain pieces that are completely devoid of music, like Balakirev’s Islamey, for example.

When performing [Mozart’s] music, you are constantly exposed. It is like a diamond in which the slightest impurity destroys everything.

I have always avoided a certain way of playing Chopin that I find improper. He deserves our love, but also our respect. We should guard against the distasteful habit of using him as a vehicle for expressing our little woes. We must remember that Chopin was above all a great human being. […] The fact that Chopin was ill is no reason to portray him as a sickly little girl. His Third Sonata and even the Second are works by a man in full possession of his resources. To play Chopin hysterically is to turn him into something he was not. But to perform him in too ‘moral’ a manner is a mistake. All composers are immoral. Moral music is a form of boredom.

Aldo Ciccolini made a good many recordings for other labels, especially late in his life, for instance Beethoven’s complete sonatas (Cascavelle, 10 CDs) and piano concerti (Frame, 3 CDs), Mozart’s complete sonatas (Discover, 6 CDs) and some concertos (Nos. 20 & 23), Chopin’s complete nocturnes (Cascavelle), Grieg’s complete Lyric Pieces (Cascavelle, 3 CDs), more Schumann (e.g. the Third Sonata), music by neglected composers like Pizetti, Janacek or Salieri, and a lot more. Also, there are some obscure live recordings from earlier years that are not to be missed by aficionados. Prime example in this category is Liszt’s Second Concerto with Ferenc Fricsay from 1956. Tremendous performance by soloist and orchestra alike, it easily ranks as one of the finest renditions of this half-forgotten masterpiece. The sound is a very decent mono that detracts nothing from the power of the performance.

So, judging the scope of Aldo’s repertoire on this EMI box-set is a dangerous business. There is enough, however, to get a very clear idea of his musicianship, both in the standard repertoire and well outside of it. This musicianship can be characterized, rather ineptly, as fresh, stimulating, elegant and provocative, no matter what he plays. He has been too much praised for his Satie, so much indeed that some people think he never played or recorded anything else. Oh, he did, and it’s well worth a listen. Enjoy!

Index

Careless documentation always was one of EMI’s hallmarks. They live up to their fame here as well. The booklet contains extensive data about recording dates, artistic directors, sound engineers, editions and even pianos. So far, so good! But nowhere is there any indication whether the recordings are mono or stereo, still less when (if ever) they were remastered. The CDs themselves do have “STEREO/MONO” indication (though not on track-by-track basis) and claim that, if you believe it, everything on these 56 CDs was newly remastered for this edition.

It should come as no surprise, then, that there is no Index in the booklet, either. Of course, there should have been. But there isn’t. That’s why I have made my own which, I hope, may be useful to others as well. The arrangement is a bit of a hotchpotch. I have grouped the composers on national basis, but within these groups I have arranged them according to their importance, as I have perceived it, for Aldo’s discography; the same is true of the works themselves, except that those for piano and orchestra are always listed first and the chamber ones last. Under the label “Miscellaneous” in the end fall some rather cosmopolitan fellows (e.g. Liszt, Chopin) or such who are the only notable composers of their countries (e.g. Grieg). Where seems appropriate, works are grouped by genre and/or recording date for the sake of convenience. Collaborators are noted by family name only.

FRENCH

Claude Debussy (1862–1918):

·      Fantaisie pour piano et orchestre – 4/74, Martinon (CD 38).

·      Preludes [2 books, 24 pieces] – 4/91 (CD 48-49).

·      Etudes [2 books, 12 pieces] – 4/91 (CD 50).

·      Suite Bergamasque [4 pieces] – 3/69 (CD 21); 4/91 (CD 51).

·      Suite Bergamasque: 3. Clair de lune – 10/58 (CD 20); 5/65 (CD 38).

·      Pour le piano [3 pieces] – 4/69 (CD 21); 4/91 (CD 51).

·      Children’s Corner [6 pieces] – 4/91 (CD 50).

·      Children’s Corner: 3. Serenade for the Doll – 6/68 (CD 20).

·      Deux Arabesques [2 pieces] – 9/69 (CD 21); 4/91 (CD 51).

·      Six épigraphes antiques [6 pieces] – 4/91 (CD 49).

·      La boîte à joujoux [6 pieces] – 4/91 (CD 48).

·      La plus que lente – 5/65 (CD 20); 4/91 (CD 49).

·      Danse (tarantelle styrienne) – 4/69 (CD 21); 4/91 (CD 51).

·      Ballade; Reverie – 4/69 (CD 21); 4/91 (CD 47).

·      Valse romantique – 4/91 (CD 47).

·      Etude retrouvée – 4/91 (CD 50).

·    Estampes [3 pieces]; Images [2 books, 6 pieces]; Images oubliées [3 pieces] – 4/91 (CD 47).

·   Le petit Nègre; Hommage à Haydn; Mazurka; Page d’album; Morceau de concours; Danse bohémienne – 4/91 (CD 49).

·    L’Isle joyeuse; Masques; Elégie; Nocturne; Berceuse héroïque; D'un cahier d'esquisses – 4/91 (CD 51).

·   Lieder: Ariettes oubliées, Aquarelles, etc. [25 pieces] – 6/57, Micheau (CD 53); 9/67, Gedda (CD 54); 10/68, Mesplé (CD 54).

Erik Satie (1866–1925):

·      Trois Morceaux en forme de poire [4 hands, 6 pieces] – 2-3/56 (CD 5); 12/63 (CD 22); 1/86, Tacchino (CD 42).

·      Heures séculaires et instantanées [3 pieces] – 2-3/56 (CD 5); 12/63 (CD 22); 1/85 (CD 45).

·      Les trois valses distinguées du précieux dégoûté [3 pieces] – 2-3/56 (CD 5); 12/63 (CD 22); 12/83 (CD 45).

·      Trois Gnossiennes [3 pieces, Nos. 1-3] – 2-3/56 (CD 5); 12/63 (CD 22); 11/83 (CD 46).

·      Trois Gnossiennes [3 pieces, Nos. 4-6] – 3/70 (CD 23); 11/83 (CD 46).

·    Trois Gymnopédies [3 pieces]; Avant-dernières pensées [3 pieces] – 2-3/56 (CD 5); 12/63 (CD 22) 11/83 (CD 42).

·      Trois Nocturnes [3 pieces] – 2-3/56 (CD 5); 12/63 (CD 22).

·      Croquis et agaceries d'un gros bonhomme en bois [3 pieces] – 12/63 (CD 22); 12/83 (CD 45).

·      La Belle Excentrique – 1/65 [4 pieces] (CD 22); 1/85, Tacchino [5 pieces] (CD 46).

·      Véritables préludes flasques (pour un chien) [3 pieces] – 1/65 (CD 22); 4/86 (CD 45).

·      En habit de cheval [4 hands; 4 pieces] – 1/65 (CD 22); 1/86, Tacchino (CD 44).

·      Chapitres tournés en tous sens [3 pieces] – 1/65 (CD 22); 1/85 (CD 45).

·      Aperçus désagréables [4 hands; 3 pieces] – 1/65 (CD 22); 1/86, Tacchino (CD 44).

·      Sports et divertissements [21 pieces] – 1/65 (CD 23); 12/83 (CD 45).

·      Embryons desséchés [3 pieces] – 12/66 (CD 23); 1/85 (CD 45).

·      Trois Sarabandes [3 pieces] – 12/66 (CD 23); 12/83 (CD 42).

·      Préludes flasques (pour un chien) [4 pieces] – 12/66 (CD 23); 1/85 (CD 45).

·      Les pantins dansent – 12/66 (CD 23); 11/69, orchestra (CD 25); 1/85 (CD 46).

·      Passacaille – 12/66 (CD 23); 1/84 (CD 44).

·      Le Piège de Méduse [7 pieces] – 1/85 (CD 46).

·      Le Piège de Méduse – 12/66 (CD 23); 11/69, orchestra (CD 25).

·      Peccadilles importunes [3 pieces] – 12/66 (CD 23); 1/84 (CD 45).

·      Pièces froides [2 books, 6 pieces] – 12/66 (CD 23); 1/85 (CD 46).

·      Prélude en tapisserie – 12/66 (CD 23); 1/85 (CD 44).

·      Nouvelles pièces froides [3 pieces] – 3/70 (CD 23); 1/85 (CD 45).

·      Deux rêveries Nocturnes [2 pieces] – 3/70 (CD 23); 1/85 (CD 44).

·      Musiques intimes et secretes – 5/70 (CD 23); 1/84 (CD 44).

·      Première pensée Rose+Croix – 3/70 (CD 24); 1/85 (CD 43).

·      Trois sonneries de la Rose+Croix [3 pieces] – 3/70 (CD 24); 1/85 (CD 43).

·      Petite ouverture à danser – 3/70 (CD 24); 12/83 (CD 46).

·    Vieux sequins et vieilles cuirasses [3 pieces]; Descriptions automatiques [3 pieces] – 1/65 (CD 22); 12/83 (CD 45).

·   Menus propos enfantins [3 pieces]; Enfantillages pittoresques [3 pieces] – 12/66 (CD 23); 1/84 (CD 45).

·      Le Fils des étoiles [3 pieces] – 12/66 (CD 24); 1/85 (CD 43).

·      Jack in the box [3 pieces] – 5/70 (CD 24); 1/85 (CD 46).

·      Six Pièces de la période 1906-1912 – 3/70 (CD 24); 1/84 (CD 44).

·      Prélude de la porte héroïque du ciel – 12/66 (CD 24); 1/85 (CD 43).

·      Carnet d'Esquisses et de Croquis [21 pieces] – 3/70 (CD 24); 1/85 (CD 44).

·      Premier Menuet – 5/70 (CD 24); 1/84 (CD 42).

·    Trois petites pièces montées [3 pieces] – 5/70 (CD 24); 1/86, 4 hands, Tacchino (CD 42).

·      Ogives [4 pieces] – 5/70 (CD 25); 1/85 (CD 43).

·      Danses gothiques [9 pieces] – 4/69 (CD 25); 1/85 (CD 43).

·      Sonatine bureaucratique – 5/75 (CD 25); 1/84 (CD 45).

·      Poudre d’or – 5/75 (CD 25); 1/84 (CD 46).

·      Douze petits chorals – 5/75 (CD 25); 1/85 (CD 44).

·      Allegro – 5/86 (CD 42).

·      Deux Nocturnes [2 pieces] – 5/70 (CD 24).

·      Pages mystiques – 5/75 (CD 25).

·      Choses vues à droite et à gauche (sans lunettes) – 11/69, Tortelier (CD 25).

·      Quatre Préludes [4 pieces] – 3/70 (CD 24).

·      Cinq nocturnes – 12/83 & 1/84 (CD 42).

·      Le Piccadilly – 1/85 (CD 46).

·      Je te veux – 12/83 (CD 46).

·      Danse de travers – 5/86 (CD 44).

·      Rêverie du pauvre – 1/84 (CD 43).

·      Rêverie de l'enfance de Pantagruel – 12/66 (CD 23).

·      Verset laique et somptueux, pour l’exposition univeselle – 5/86 (CD 43).

·      Prelude d’Eginhard; Preludes du Nazaréen [2 pieces] – 1/85 (CD 43).

·      Valse-ballet; Fantaisie-valse – 1/85 (CD 42).

·      Prière; Vexations – 1/85 (CD 43).

·      Caresse; Petite musique de clown triste; The dreamy fish – 1/85 (CD 44).

·   Lieder: Ludions, Trois poèmes d’amour, Quatre petite mélodies, etc. [32 pieces] – 12/69, 1/74 & 6/86, Mesplé; 11/69 & 6/86, Bacquier; 10/69 & 5/86, Gedda; (CD 55).

Jules Massenet (1842–1912):

·      Piano Concerto in E flat major – 7/79, Camberling (CD 34).

·      Papillons noirs – 4/75 (CD 34).

·      Papillons blancs – 4/75 (CD 34).

·      Eau dormante – 4/75 (CD 34).

·      Eau courante – 3/79 (CD 34).

·      Toccata – 6/79 (CD 34).

·      Musique pour “bercer les petits enfants” – 4/77 (CD 34).

·      Dix pieces de genre, Op. 10 [10 pieces] – 5/72 (CD 34).

·      Sept improvisations [7 pieces] – 4/77 (CD 34).

·      Valse folle – 3/79 (CD 35).

·      Valse très lente – 4/75 (CD 35).

·      Devant la Madone – 3/79 (CD 35).

·      Année passée [4 books, 12 pieces] – 1&3/79 (CD 35).

·      Six danses [6 pieces] – 12/79 (CD 35).

·      Trois marches [3 pieces] – 3/79 (CD 35).

·      La Vierge – 3/79 (CD 35).

·      Premiere suite, Op. 11 [3 pieces] – 6/79 (CD 35).

·      Deux berceuses [2 pieces] – 12/79 (CD 35).

Camille Saint-Saens (1835–1921):

·      Piano Concertos Nos. 1-5 – 6&11-12/70, Baudo (CD 36-37).

·      Etude en forme de valse – 2/71 (CD 21).

·      Six études pour la main gauche seule, Op. 135 [6 pieces] – 1/71 (CD 21).

·      Les Carnaval des animaux – 6/66, Weissenberg, Prêtre (CD 37).

César Franck (1822–1890):

·      Variations symphoniques – 6/53, Cluytens (CD 3); 12/74, Strauss, (CD 32).

·      Les Djinns – 12/62, Cluytens (CD 20); 12/74, Strauss (CD 33).

·      Prélude, Choral et Fugue [3 pieces] – 3/69 (CD 32).

·      Prélude, Aria et Finale [3 pieces] – 4/69 (CD 32).

·      Prélude, Fugue et Variation [3 pieces] – 3/69 (CD 32).

Déodat de Séverac (1872–1921):

·      En Languedoc [5 pieces] – 12/68 & 4/69 (CD 26).

·      En vacances: Premier recueil [8 pieces] – 4/69 (CD 26).

·      En vacances: Deuxième recueil [3 pieces] – 4/75 (CD 26).

·      Le Soldat de plomb [3 pieces] – 7/78 (CD 26).

·      Baigneuses au soleil – 4/77 (CD 26).

·      Cerdaña [5 pieces] – 12/74 & 5/75 (CD 27).

·      Le Chant de la terre [6 pieces] – 3-4/77 (CD 27).

·      Les Naïades et la faune indiscret – 4/77 (CD 27).

·      Pipperment-get – 3/77 (CD 27).

·      Sous les lauriers roses [10 pieces] – 4/75 (CD 27).

Emmanuel Chabrier (1841–1894)

·      Pièces pittoresques [10 pieces] – 4/68 (CD 20).

·      Pièces pittoresques: 6. Idylle – 5/65 (CD 20).

·  España (transcription: Camille Chevillard), Feuillet d’album, Bourée fantasque – 4/68 (CD 20).

Maurice Ravel (1872–1937):

·      Piano Concerto in G major – 3/74, Martinon (CD 38).

·      Piano Concerto for Left Hand – 3-4/74, Martinon (CD 38).

·      Pavane pour une infante défunte – 6/68 (CD 38).

·      Lieder: Histoires Naturelles, etc. [16 pieces] – 10/66 & 4/68, Benoit (CD 53-54).

Vincent d’Indy (1870–1931):

·   Symphonie pour orchestre et piano, Op. 25 – 6/53, Cluytens (CD 3); 6/75, Baudo (CD 33).

Alexis de Castillon (1838–1873):

·      Piano Concerto, Op. 12 – 6/85, Prêtre (CD 33).

Francois Couperin (1668–1733):

·      Soeur Monique (18^e Ordre) – 6/68 (CD 10).

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764):

·      La Poule (Nouvelles suites de pièces de clavecin) – 6/68 (CD 10).

Francis Poulenc (1899–1963):

·      Lieder: Paganini, Air grave, etc. [6 pieces] – 9/67, Gedda (CD 54).

Gabriel Faure (1845–1924):

·      Lieder: Nell, Ici-bas!, etc. [7 pieces] – 9/67, Gedda (CD 54).

Reynaldo Hahn (1874–1947):

·      Lieder: D’une prison, Paysage; etc. [4 pieces] – 9/67, Gedda (CD 54).

SPANISH

Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909):

·      Piano Concerto No. 1 – 5/84, Bátiz (CD 56).

·      España, Op. 165 [6 pieces] – 10/56 (CD 9).

·      Iberia [4 books, 12 pieces] – 1&3/66 (CD 18-19).

Enrique Granados (1867–1916):

·      Goyescas [6 pieces] – 7/66 (CD 18).

·      Goyescas, No. 4 – 5/65 (CD 19).

·      Allegro de concierto – 10/56 (CD 9).

Manuel de Falla (1876–1946)

·      Noches en los jardines de España – 12/53, Halffter (CD 9); 5/84, Bátiz (CD 56).

·      Danse rituelle du feu – 5/65 (CD 19).

·      Danse de la meunière – 6/68 (CD 19).

Federico Mompou (1893–1987)

·      Canciones y Danzas [8 pieces] – 9/56 (CD 9).

AUSTRO–GERMAN

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791):

·      Sonatas K. 280, 282, 309, 311, 331, 332, 333, 533/194 – 12/53 (CD 1).

·      Sonatas K. 282, 309, 333, 533/194 – 2/56 (CD 2).

·      Variations K. 24, 264, 273, 353 – 6/81 (CD 39).

·      12 Variations “Ah, vous dirai-he maman” – 6/68 (CD39); 6/81 (CD 39).

·      Trio for Clarinete, Viola and Piano, K. 498 – 2/71, Druart, Lepauw (CD 52).

Franz Schubert (1797–1828):

·      Impromptus, D. 899 [4 pieces] – 1/72 (CD 31).

·      Impromptus, D. 935 [4 pieces] – 1-2/72 (CD 31).

·      Sonata No. 13, D. 664 – 11/74 (CD 31).

·      Sonata No. 21, D. 960 – 11/74 (CD 30).

·      Moment Musical, D. 780/3 – 6/68 (CD 30).

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)

·      Klavierstücke, Op. 76 [8 pieces] – 11/68 (CD 29).

·      Fantasien, Op. 116 [7 pieces] – 11/68 (CD 29).

·      Intermezzi, Op. 117 [3 pieces] – 7/68 (CD 29).

·      Klavierstücke, Op. 118 [6 pieces] – 7/68 (CD 29).

·      Klavierstücke, Op. 119 [4 pieces] – 7/68 (CD 29).

·      Rhapsodies, Op. 79 [2 pieces] – 9/69 (CD 29).

Robert Schumann (1810–1856):

·      Kinderszenen, Op. 15 [13 pieces] – 1/73 (CD 28).

·      Waldszenen, Op 82 [9 pieces] – 1/73 (CD 28).

·      Intermezzi, Op. 4 [6 pieces] – 1/73 (CD 28).

·      Meditation, Op. 15/7 – 6/68 (CD 17).

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750):

·      Inventions et Sinfonias [30 pieces] – 2/63 (CD 10).

Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847):

·      Chant du Printemps, Op. 62/6 – 5/65 (CD 17).

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827):

·      Piano Sonata No. 14, Op. 27/2, Mondschein, 1^st mvt. – 4/58 (CD39).

·      Bagatelle, WoO 59 Für Elise – 4/58 (CD39).

RUSSIAN

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943):

·      Piano Concerto No. 2 – 11/57, Silvestri (CD 4).

·      Preludes, Opp. 3/2 & 32/5 – 6/58 (CD 5).

·      Sonata for Violoncello and Piano, Op. 19 – 11/67 & 1/68, Tortelier (CD 52).

Piotr Tchaikovsky (1840–1893):

·      Piano Concerto No. 1 – 2/51, Cluytens (CD 3); 11-12/57, Silvestri (CD 4).

·      Dumka, Op. 59 – 7/57 (CD 4).

Dmitri Kabalevsky (1904–1987):

·      Sonatine No. 1, Op. 13 – 9/56 (CD 5).

Anton Arensky (1861–1906):

·      Scherzo, Op. 8 – 9/56 (CD 5).

Alexandre Borodine (1833–1887):

·      Petite Suite – 9/56 (CD 5).

Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881):

·      Pictures at an Exhibition [inedited] – 1/76 (CD 13).

Sergei Prokofieff (1891–1953):

·      Marche, Op. 12/1 – 9/56 (CD 3).

·      Conte de la vieille grand-mere, Op. 31/1 – 6/68 (CD 3).

Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971):

·      Tango – 9/56 (CD 4).

ITALIAN

Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757):

·      Sonatas Kk. 1, 64, 259, 268, 492 – 4/50 (CD 1).

·      Sonatas Kk. 64, 259, 268, 492 – 6/54 (CD 2).

·      Sonatas Kk. 1, 9, 64, 87, 159, 239, 259, 268, 380, 377, 406, 432, 492 – 3/62 (CD 10-11).

Gioacchino Rossini (1792–1868):

·      Péchés de vieillesse [7 pieces] – 11/70-1/72 (CD 11).

MISCELLANEOUS

Edvard Grieg (1843–1907):

·      Piano Sonata, Op. 7 – 12/64 (CD 12).

·      Ballade, Op. 24 – 12/64-1/65 (CD 13).

·      Pièces lyriques: Au printempts, Op. 43/6 – 12/64-1/65 (CD 13); 5/65 (CD 12).

·      Pièces lyriques: Notturno, Op. 54/4 – 6/58 (CD 12).

·  Pièces lyriques: Valse, Op. 12/2; Danse des Sylphes, Op. 12/4; Papillon, Op. 43/1; Oisillon, Op. 43/4; Feuillet d’album, Op. 47/2; Ruisseau, Op. 62/4; Marche nuptiale norvégienne, Op. 19/2 – 12/64-1/65 (CD 13).

Franz Liszt (1811–1886):

·      Années de pèlerinage. Première année: Suisse [9 pieces] – 9/54 (CD 7); 11/61 (CD 14).

·      Années de pèlerinage. Deuxième année: Italie [7 pieces] – 9/54 (CD 7-8); 12/61 (CD 14-15).

·      Venezia e Napoli [3 pieces] – 9/69 (CD 15).

·      Années de pèlerinage. Troisième année [7 pieces] – 9/54 (CD 8); 12/61 (CD 15).

·      Harmonies poétiques et religieuses [10 pieces, 2^nd ver.] – 11-12/68 (CD 16); 4/90 (CD 40-41).

·      Consolations [6 pieces] – 9/56 (CD 8); 3/70 (CD 17).

·      Ballade No. 1 – 9/70 (CD 17).

·      Ballade No. 2 – 9/56 (CD 6); 9/70 (CD 17).

·      Funérailles – 9/56 (CD 6).

·      Deux Légends [2 pieces] – 3&11/70 (CD 17).

·      Mephisto Waltz No. 1 – 9/56 (CD 6).

·      Liebesträume, S. 541 [3 pieces] – 6/71 (CD 17).

·      Liebesträume, S. 541/3 – 10/58 (CD 6).

· Verdi paraphrases: Miserere du Trovatore; Aida Danza sacra e duetto finale; Réminiscences de Boccanegra; Rigoletto Paraphrase de Concert – 3/82 & 4/90 (Aida) (CD 41).

·   Other opera paraphrases: Isoldes Liebestod (Wagner), Valse de l'opéra Faust (Gounod), Valse a capriccio sur deux motifs de Lucrezia et Parisina (Donizetti) – 3/82 (CD 41).

Frederic Chopin (1810–1849):

·      18 Waltzes, Opp. 18, 34/1-3, 42, 64/1-3, 69/1-2, 70/1-3, op. posth. (5) – 12/68 (CD 12).

·      3 Waltzes, Op. 34 – 6/57 (CD 6).

·      Berceuse, Op. 57 – 6/68 (CD 6).

·      Etude, Op. 10/3 – 10/58 (CD 6).

·      Prelude, Op. 28/17 – 9/57 (CD 30).

·      Fantaisie, Op. 49 – 9/57 (CD 30).

·      Nocturne, Op. 9/2 – 10/58 (CD 6).

·      Nocturne, Op. 27/1 – 7/58 (CD 6).

·      Polonaise écrite à l’âge de 8 ans – unknown (CD 6).

·      Sonata for Violoncello and Piano, Op. 65 – 11/67, Tortelier (CD 52).