Anyone from the older generation who was lucky enough to experience the performances of artists of Elly Ney’s generation will never forget the power of the lasting transformations effected by such musicians. Their visible and audible gestures opened the door to an enchanted realm of beauty whose aura stayed with them from then on.

These recordings on Beethoven’s last piano arose spontaneously, were realised in a fascinating process, and are historically unrepeatable. Erich Appel called them a “really lucky chance”.

Beethoven’s symphonic mind-set and characteristic urge to experiment are here combined into a programme in which the famous Pathétique Sonata is flanked by two extensive dramatic and lyrical works that are equally rewarding.

“It is worth knowing about special interpretations of this kind, which draw their strength from the wisdom of old age and a clearly unlimited sense of the poetic element in music.” (pizzicato)

A child of the Jugendstil is unleashed on the world: two important works of chamber music by a carefree child prodigy, Erich Korngold.

“To bringg Beethoven to life in our hearts” was the lifelong purpose of the pianist Elly Ney. And she achieved it. Her interpretations, heartfelt and individual, are as arresting today as they ever were. The winner is Beethoven, and we share his victory.

This is an encounter with two legends – the great Elly Ney playing Beethoven’s last piano in the Beethoven house in Bonn, where it has now stood under a glass cover for many decades.

The same opus number and the same idea but treated in quite different ways: a Russian and a Frenchman use virtuoso romantic means to search for the past and future of the concerto.

The Russian master’s least performed concerto played in an unusually exciting arena – a production which is already an almost epoch-making one.

Two people who understand each other and don’t look at their hands; a very personal excursion through two centuries of the four-hands repertoire.

Light in the thicket of weighty scores: light shed in exemplary fashion on an underestimated romantic composer.

One of the most beautiful romantic harp concertos in the company of some delightful compatriots, performed with a high degree of musicality.

This is a “must” for Wagner fans and, for lovers of particular voices, a welcome addition to their collection: a reminder of an artist who was no stranger to the international stage.

The child prodigy from Munich at both ends of his career: orchestral rarities by Richard Strauss over a span of almost seventy years.

The delicate hand of this master of romanticism conjures up dreams of summer nights, oceans and Fingal’s caves…

Fairytales, a witches’ sabbath, legends: the second part of Felix Mendelssohn’s collection of picturesque overtures.

Two colourful dance scenes based on famous German tales, arranged with imagination and intuition into beautiful scenes and listener-friendly sounds.

Hunting scenes from Upper Franconia and the Burgenland: a feast for anyone’s ears, not just for those of huntsmen.

Live-Aufnahme des Konzertes am 11. November 2010 im Goldenen Musikvereinssaal Wien.

Musik der Synagoge, composed by Louis Lewandowski