Rachmaninov – Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 28 / Variations on a Theme of Chopin, Op. 22 CD

Vladimir Ashkenazy | Decca Classics

UPC: 028947829386 

MPN: 4782938DH 

Brand Name: Decca Music Group Limited

Overview

In this acclaimed Decca Classics release, legendary Russian pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy presents his first-ever recordings of two of Sergey Rachmaninov’s early piano masterpieces — the Variations on a Theme of Chopin, Op. 22 and the Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 28.

Recorded in 2011, this album showcases Ashkenazy’s lifelong affinity for Rachmaninov’s emotionally charged music. The performance reveals the pianist’s unmatched ability to balance technical brilliance with lyrical sensitivity, exploring the intense romanticism and structural complexity that define the composer’s early style.

Ashkenazy’s interpretations combine power and poise, illuminating Rachmaninov’s youthful genius in works that foreshadow the expressive grandeur of his later concertos and symphonies.

Product Features

• Format: Audio CD
• Total Duration: 62:26
• Label: Decca Music Group Limited (A Universal Music Company)
• Release Year: 2011
• Country of Manufacture: Made in the EU
• Genre: Classical
• Style: Romantic Piano Music / Russian Romanticism
• Recording Type: DDD (Digital Recording)
• Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy – Piano
• Composer: Sergey Rachmaninov (1873–1943)
• Booklet: Includes trilingual liner notes (English / French / German)

Interesting Facts

• First Recordings: Although Ashkenazy has long been regarded as one of the greatest interpreters of Rachmaninov, this release marks his first recordings of both the Chopin Variations and the First Sonata.
• Musical Significance: The Piano Sonata No. 1—an ambitious and demanding work inspired by Goethe’s Faust—reveals Rachmaninov’s youthful imagination and structural experimentation.
• Virtuosic Craftsmanship: The Chopin Variations showcase Rachmaninov’s ability to merge classical elegance with Romantic fire, offering pianists both technical challenge and poetic expressiveness.
• Artist Legacy: Ashkenazy, known for his deep understanding of Russian repertoire, recorded this album more than half a century after his first Rachmaninov interpretations, demonstrating undiminished artistry and introspective maturity.

Track Listing

1–23. Variations on a Theme of Chopin, Op. 22 – 23:56 24–26. Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 28 – 33:41

Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano

Total Timing: 62:26

Publishers

Label: Decca Music Group Limited, London, England Compilation: © 2011 Decca Music Group Limited Made in: EU Booklet: English / French / German Website: www.deccaclassics.com | www.vladimirashkenazy.com

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