Deutsche Grammophon released this 17-disc set in 2010 to mark the 200th anniversary of
Chopin's birth, showcasing some of the finest pianists of the 20th century.
Krystian Zimerman's piano concerto performances with the
Polish Festival Orchestra,
Maurizio Pollini's in the etudes, polonaises, and scherzos,
Vladimir Ashkenazy's mazurkas and waltzes,
Maria-João Pires' nocturnes, along with works played by
Lilya Zilberstein,
Claudio Arrau,
Yundi Li, and
Anatol Ugorski are here. The chamber music is played by the
Beaux Arts Trio,
Martha Argerich with
Mstislav Rostropovich, and
Lambert Orkis with
Anner Bijlsma. The songs are by soprano
Elzbieta Szmytka and Martin Martineau. The sound quality is slightly variable, and the styles of playing will suit some listeners better than others, but collectors who seek a complete
Chopin set could do a lot worse than to have these significant recordings in their libraries.