Album

Ultimate Classical Piano is part of Decca's "Ultimate" series of box sets, released in 2006. The five discs each contain 20 tracks of some of the most familiar and famous piano works ever written, performed by some of greatest pianists, all pulled from Decca's vast archive. The selections range from the Baroque music of Rameau, Daquin, and Bach, to the 20th century music of Rachmaninov and Falla, but they are not organized in any particular fashion. There are a few transcriptions (Saint-Saëns' The Swan, arias from Bach cantatas), a couple of Dvorák's Slavonic Dances performed in the original piano duet versions, and even a waltz by Arensky for two pianos. Just a few of the highlights are Vladimir Ashkenazy playing Chopin, Alicia de Larrocha playing Albéniz and Granados, and Julius Katchen playing Brahms. There's something for everyone here: Chopin's rousing "Heroic" Polonaise, Debussy's humorous Golliwogg's Cakewalk, MacDowell's gentle To a Wild Rose, the nocturnal opening of Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata, and everything in between to suit your mood. The sound quality is overall very good, but does vary from track to track as is expected in a collection of this kind. Casual classical piano admirers should not be disappointed by this assortment of music and performers.

© Patsy Morita, Rovi

CD 1 of 5
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 3 Waltzes, Op.64 (includes 'Minute Waltz' and famous Waltz in C#-) Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
1	No.1 in Db ('Minute')	1:51			$0.49
Franz Liszt Composer 6 Consolations, S.172, R.12 Work Rhonda Gillespie Piano
2	3.Lento placido	3:55			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Jesu, meine Freude, BWV753 (fragment) Work Julius Katchen Piano
3	Jesu, meine Freude, BWV753 (fragment)	3:42			$0.99
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer Songs without Words, Book 6, Op.67 Work Andras Schiff Piano
4	4.Spinnerlied (Spinning Song) in C	2:01			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 12 Etudes, Op.10 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
5	No.12: Allegro con fuoco in C- ('Revolutionary')	2:43			$0.99
Louis Moreau Gottschalk Composer Souvenir de Porto Rico, Op.31, D.147 Work Ivan Davis Piano
6	Souvenir de Porto Rico, Op.31, D.147	5:53			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Children's Corner, L.113 Work Pascal Rogé Piano
7	6.Golliwog's Cakewalk	2:54			$0.99
Johannes Brahms Composer 2 Rhapsodies, Op.79 Work Julius Katchen Piano
8	2.Molto passionato, ma non troppo allegro in G-	5:46			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer An die Musik, D.547, Op.88, No.4 Work Joseph Cooper Piano
9	An die Musik, D.547, Op.88, No.4 (arr. piano)	1:44			$0.49
Isaac Albéniz Composer España: 6 hojas de album, Op.165, B.37 Work Alicia de Larrocha Piano
10	2.Tango	2:40			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Sonata No.8 in C-, Op.13 ('Pathétique') Work Radu Lupu Piano
11	2.Adagio cantabile	7:04			$1.49
Antonín (Leopold) Dvořák Composer 8 Humoresques, Op.101 Work Joseph Cooper Piano
12	7.Poco lento e grazioso in Gb	3:03			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 2 Polonaises, Op.40 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
13	No.1 in A ('Military')	5:05			$0.99
Camille Saint-Saëns Composer Carnival of the Animals: Zoological Fantasy for 2 Pianos and Chamber Ensemble...Carnival of the Animals: Zoological Fantasy for 2 Pianos and Chamber Ensemble (tr. for piano) Work Varda Nishry Piano
14	13.The Swan	3:08			$0.99
Anton Arensky Composer Suite for 2 pianos, Op.15 Work Bracha Eden Piano, Alexander Tamir Piano
15	2.Valse	4:55			$0.99
Edvard Grieg Composer 6 Lyric Pieces (v), Op.54 Work Alicia de Larrocha Piano
16	4.Notturno	4:09			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Piano Sonata No.11 in A, K.331 ('Alla turca') Work Andras Schiff Piano
17	3.Rondo alla turca	3:36			$0.99
Tekla Badarzewska Composer A Maiden's Prayer (Molitwa dziewicy) for piano, Op.3 (or Op.4) Work Joseph Cooper Piano
18	A Maiden's Prayer (Molitwa dziewicy) for piano, Op.3 (or Op.4)	2:58			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Piano Quintet in A, D.667, Op.posth.114 ('The Trout') Work Varda Nishry Piano
19	Piano Quintet in A, D.667, Op.posth.114 ('The Trout')	3:44			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Waltz, Op.18 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
20	Waltz, Op.18	4:55			$0.99
CD 2 of 5
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 24 Preludes, Op.28 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
1	15.Sostenuto in Db ('Raindrop')	5:16			$0.99
Louis-Claude Daquin Composer Suite No.3, for harpsichord...Suite No.3, for harpsichord (arr. piano) Work Varda Nishry Piano
2	15.Le Coucou, rondeau for harpsichord in E-	1:49			$0.49
Isaac Albéniz Composer Suite española No.1, Op.47, B.7...Suite española No.1, Op.47, B.7 (arr. piano duo) Work Alicia de Larrocha Piano
3	3.Sevilla (Sevillanas)	4:36			$0.99
Christian Sinding Composer Rustle of Spring, Op 32/3 Work Joseph Cooper Piano
4	Rustle of Spring, Op 32/3	2:55			$0.99
Franz Liszt Composer 3 Concert Etudes, S.144, R.5 Work Jorge Bolet Piano
5	3.In Db ('Un sospiro')	5:32			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 12 Etudes, Op.10 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
6	No.5: Vivace in Gb ('Black Keys')	1:41			$0.49
Erik Satie Composer 3 Gymnopédies Work Pascal Rogé Piano
7	1.Lent et douloureux	3:09			$0.99
Johannes Brahms Composer Hungarian Dances, WoO1, Bk.1-2 (piano version)...Book 1 Work Julius Katchen Piano
8	No.5 in G-	2:12			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 3 Nocturnes, Op.9 (includes the famous 'Nocturne in Eb') Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
9	No.2 in Eb	4:03			$0.99
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer Songs without Words, Book 5, Op.62 Work Andras Schiff Piano
10	6.Frühlingslied (Spring Song) in A	2:47			$0.99
Robert Alexander Schumann Composer Kinderszenen, Op.15 Work Ileana Vered Piano
11	7.Traumerei (Dreaming)	3:31			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier, BWV633 Work Alicia de Larrocha Piano
12	Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier, BWV633	3:35			$0.99
Sergey Vasilyevich Rachmaninov Composer 10 Preludes, Op.23 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
13	No.5 in G-	3:53			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 3 Waltzes, Op.34 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
14	2.No.2 in A-	4:35			$0.99
Johannes Brahms Composer 6 Klavierstücke, Op.118 Work Julius Katchen Piano
15	1.Intermezzo in A-	6:05			$0.99
Isaac Albéniz Composer Recuerdos de viaje, Op.71 Work Alicia de Larrocha Piano
16	5.Puerta de tierra (bolero)	3:30			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer 6 Moments musicaux, D.780, Op.94 Work Radu Lupu Piano
17	No.3 in F-: Allegro moderato ('Air russe')	1:47			$0.49
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Images, Book 1, L.110 Work Pascal Rogé Piano
18	1.Reflets dans l'eau	5:01			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 3 Mazurkas, Op.63 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
19	No.3 in C#-	2:28			$0.99
Antonín (Leopold) Dvořák Composer 8 Slavonic Dances, B.83, Op.46 (after piano 4-hands version) Work Bracha Eden Piano, Alexander Tamir Piano
20	7.Allegro assai in C-	4:37			$0.99
CD 3 of 5
Franz Liszt Composer Liebestraum, 3 notturnos, S.541 Work Jorge Bolet Piano
1	3.O lieb, so lang du lieben kannst	4:51			$0.99
Robert Alexander Schumann Composer 3 Romanzen, Op.28 Work Alicia de Larrocha Piano
2	2.No.2 in F#	3:29			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 12 Etudes, Op.25 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
3	No.11 in A- ('Winter Wind')	3:47			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer 2 Arabesques, L.66 Work Pascal Rogé Piano
4	No.1 in E: Andantino con moto	3:52			$0.99
Anton Rubinstein Composer 2 Melodies, Op.3 Work Shura Cherkassky Piano
5	1.In F	4:19			$0.99
Enrique Granados Composer Goyescas, H.64, DLR 2:4 Work Joseph Cooper Piano
6	4.Quejas, o la maja y el ruiseñor	6:32			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 4 Mazurkas, Op.33 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
7	No.2 in D	2:08			$0.99
Johannes Brahms Composer Hungarian Dances, WoO1, Bk.1-2 (piano version)...Book 1 Work Julius Katchen Piano
8	No.1 in G-	2:53			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Préludes, Book 1, L.117 Work Pascal Rogé Piano
9	8.La fille aux cheveux de lin	2:28			$0.99
Ignace Jan Paderewski Composer 6 Humoresques de concert, Op.14 Work Joseph Cooper Piano
10	1.Minuet	4:17			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 2 Nocturnes, Op.55 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
11	No.1 in F-	4:52			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Piano Sonata No.7 in C, K.309 Work Julius Katchen Piano
12	1.Allegro con spirito	2:14			$0.99
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer 6 Songs, Op.34...6.Reiselied Work Julius Katchen Piano
13	2.Auf Flügeln des Gesanges (On Wings of Song)	4:12			$0.99
Edward MacDowell Composer 10 Woodland Sketches, Op.51 Work Joseph Cooper Piano
14	6.To a Water Lily	2:46			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Sanctify us Work Alicia de Larrocha Piano
15	Sanctify us	3:17			$0.99
Johannes Brahms Composer 16 Waltzes, Op.39 Work Julius Katchen Piano
16	16 Waltzes, Op.39	1:09			$0.49
Edvard Grieg Composer 6 Lyric Pieces (viii), Op.65 Work Joseph Cooper Piano
17	6.Bryllupsdag på Troldhaugen (Wedding-day at Troldhaugen)	6:05			$0.99
Franz Liszt Composer Schwanengesang (D.957), S.560, R.245 Work Joseph Cooper Piano
18	Schwanengesang (D.957), S.560, R.245	4:46			$0.99
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer Songs without Words, Book 1, Op.19b Work Jorge Bolet Piano
19	1.Andante con moto in E	2:41			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 2 Nocturnes, Op.32 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
20	No.1 in B	5:11			$0.99
CD 4 of 5
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Sonata No.14 in C#-, Op.27, No.2 ('Moonlight') Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
1	1.Adagio sostenuto	6:06			$0.99
Sergey Vasilyevich Rachmaninov Composer Morceaux de fantaisie, Op.3 (includes famous Prelude in C#-) Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
2	2.Prelude in C#- ('The Bells of Moscow')	4:29			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 3 Waltzes, Op.64 (includes 'Minute Waltz' and famous Waltz in C#-) Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
3	No.2 in C#-	3:27			$0.99
Robert Alexander Schumann Composer Waldszenen, Op.82 Work Varda Nishry Piano
4	7.Vogel als Prophet	3:24			$0.99
Edvard Grieg Composer 6 Lyric Pieces (iii), Op.43 Work Joseph Cooper Piano
5	1.Sommerfugl (Butterfly)	2:01			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 5 Mazurkas, Op.7 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
6	No.1 in Bb	1:53			$0.49
Johannes Brahms Composer Hungarian Dances, WoO1, Bk.1-2 (piano version)...Book 1 Work Julius Katchen Piano
7	No.6 in Db	3:11			$0.99
Jacques Ibert Composer Le petit âne blanc (The Little White Donkey) Work Varda Nishry Piano
8	Le petit âne blanc (The Little White Donkey)	2:15			$0.99
Percy Grainger Composer Country Gardens, folk song for 2 pianos (BFMS 22) Work Joseph Cooper Piano
9	Country Gardens, folk song for 2 pianos (BFMS 22)	2:30			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 2 Waltzes, Op.69 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
10	1.No.1 in Ab ('Valse de l'adieu')	4:01			$0.99
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer Songs without Words, Book 2, Op.30 Work Andras Schiff Piano
11	6.Venezianisches Gondellied in F#-	2:44			$0.99
Manuel de Falla Composer El Amor brujo, for mezzo-soprano and orchestra, G.68 (revised version)...El Amor brujo, for mezzo-soprano and orchestra, G.68 (arr. piano solo) Work Julius Katchen Piano
12	8.Danza ritual del fuego (Ritual Fire Dance)	4:17			$0.99
Johannes Brahms Composer 3 Intermezzos, Op.117 Work Julius Katchen Piano
13	2.Intermezzo in Bb-	4:35			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer 4 Impromptus, D.899, Op.90 Work Radu Lupu Piano
14	No.3 in Gb: Andante	6:34			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 2 Waltzes, Op.69 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
15	2.No.2 in B-	3:44			$0.99
Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov Composer The Tale of Tsar Saltan (Skazka o Tsare Saltane; opera; includes 'Flight of the Bumblebee') Work Ivan Davis Piano
16	The Flight of the Bumblebee (various arrangements)	1:17			$0.49
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Funeral March in C-, Op.72, No.2, CT.50 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
17	Funeral March in C-, Op.72, No.2, CT.50	9:02			$1.49
Johannes Brahms Composer 16 Waltzes, Op.39 Work Julius Katchen Piano
18	16 Waltzes, Op.39	0:49			$0.49
Edward MacDowell Composer 10 Woodland Sketches, Op.51 Work Joseph Cooper Piano
19	1.To a Wild Rose	2:11			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Polonaise No.6 in Ab, Op.53 ('Heroic'), CT.155 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
20	Polonaise No.6 in Ab, Op.53 ('Heroic'), CT.155	6:21			$0.99
CD 5 of 5
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Bagatelle in A- ('Für Elise'), WoO59 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
1	Bagatelle in A- ('Für Elise'), WoO59	2:58			$0.99
Franz Liszt Composer Grand Paganini Étude, S.141 Work Jorge Bolet Piano
2	3.La Campanella II, in G#-	5:11			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Suite Bergamasque, L.75 (includes 'Clair de lune') Work Pascal Rogé Piano
3	3.Clair de lune	5:33			$0.99
Enrique Granados Composer 12 Spanish Dances, Op.37, H.142 Work Alicia de Larrocha Piano
4	5.Andaluza: Andantino quasi Allegretto	4:22			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Fantaisie-impromptu in C#-, Op.66 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
5	Fantaisie-impromptu in C#-, Op.66	4:52			$0.99
Johannes Brahms Composer 5 Lieder, Op.49 (contains 'Brahms' Lullaby')...5 Lieder, Op.49 (contains 'Brahms' Lullaby'; arr. piano) Work Julius Katchen Piano
6	4.Wiegenlied ('Brahms' Lullaby')	1:21			$0.49
Jean-Philippe Rameau Composer Nouvelles suites de pièces de clavecin...Suite in G/G- Work Varda Nishry Piano
7	4.La Poule	4:36			$0.99
Franz Liszt Composer 4 Valses oubliées, S.215, R.37 Work Joseph Cooper Piano
8	4 Valses oubliées, S.215, R.37	3:39			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 12 Etudes, Op.10 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
9	No.3: Lento ma non troppo in E ('Tristesse')	4:22			$0.99
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer Songs without Words, Book 5, Op.62 Work Andras Schiff Piano
10	1.Andante espressivo in G	2:27			$0.99
Antonín (Leopold) Dvořák Composer Slavonic Dance in G- (8.Presto) for Cello and Piano, B.172 (after Op.46 for piano 4-hands) Work Bracha Eden Piano, Alexander Tamir Piano
11	Slavonic Dance in G- (8.Presto) for Cello and Piano, B.172 (after Op.46 for piano 4-hands)	4:14			$0.99
Maurice Ravel Composer Jeux d'eau Work Pascal Rogé Piano
12	Jeux d'eau	5:51			$0.99
Moritz Moszkowski Composer Etude for piano "La jongleuse," Op.52, No.4 Work Jorge Bolet Piano
13	Etude for piano "La jongleuse," Op.52, No.4	2:04			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 3 Nocturnes, Op.15 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
14	No.2 in F#	3:50			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Images, Book 2, L.111 Work Pascal Rogé Piano
15	3.Poissons d'or	4:14			$0.99
Johannes Brahms Composer 6 Klavierstücke, Op.118 Work Julius Katchen Piano
16	3.Ballade in G-	3:07			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 4 Mazurkas, Op.67 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
17	No.3 in C	1:30			$0.49
Johannes Brahms Composer 16 Waltzes, Op.39 Work Julius Katchen Piano
18	No.2 in E	1:03			$0.49
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer Songs without Words, Book 1, Op.19b Work Jorge Bolet Piano
19	2.Andante espressivo in A-	6:54			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 3 Waltzes, Op.70 Work Vladimir Ashkenazy Piano
20	No.1 in Gb	2:11			$0.99