Uncovering Overlooked Master Musicians on the Piano

In a fascinating journey through the annals of classical music, Deutsche Grammophon (DG) has curated two exquisite Piano Library box sets. These collections, compiled by Cyrus Meher-Homji and Universal Australia on the Eloquence label, offer a unique opportunity to revisit forgotten recordings of renowned pianists.

The "Deutsche Grammophon Edition" box set, containing 22 CDs, is a standout due to its reissue of vinyl records from a collection titled "Competition" from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. This edition also includes an unpublished recording of Debussy's Préludes Book 1 by Italian pianist Dino Ciani, offering a more ethereal interpretation than the one that eventually became legendary.

The other box set, the "Westminster & American Decca" edition, contains 21 CDs and features the complete set of Erik Petri's five Westminster discs, including two Beethoven Sonatas and the three with works or arrangements by Busoni.

Both box sets are rich with performances by laureates of major competitions, such as Mikhail Faerman, Boris Bloch, Alexander Lonquich, David Lively, Steven De Groote, Jorge Luis Prats, Ewa Pobłocka, and Yuri Egorov. The series also includes the box set's opening disc, a recording of Franck and Faure by Jorg Demus before his victory at the Busoni Competition in 1956.

The yellow box set includes Reger variations by Erik Then-Bergh and a masterful version of the Diabelli Variations by Swiss Paul Baumgartner. It also houses two CDs dedicated to Scarlatti and C.P.E. Bach recorded by Russian-born pianist Nina Milkina in 1956.

Two other CDs preserve the memory of the Hungarian Edith Farnadi: Liszt's "Viennese Soirees" and a CD of paraphrases. The Italian Carlo Zecchi's recital, recorded in 1955, is also part of the box set.

Accompanied by a disc never reissued on CD, the Brazilian Guiomar Novaes recorded Chopin, Liszt, and Debussy. The box set also includes four late Beethoven sonatas by German Elly Ney and Roberto Szidon's Ives CD.

Many of these discs have never been transferred to CD and had fleeting existences. Before their discovery by the Piano Library Boxen of Universal Australia, the documents of pianists like Edith Farnadi, Diana Kacso, Michel Block, Zola Mae Shaulis, Mikhail Faerman, Nina Milkina, etc., would have belonged to personal archives, national musical archives, libraries, or private collections. Today, these precious recordings are available for all to enjoy, making the DG Piano Library box sets a must-have for any classical music enthusiast.

The Australian series "Eloquence" is now a sought-after collection for collectors worldwide, offering a glimpse into the past and a chance to rediscover the brilliance of these forgotten pianists.