Florestan Trio Beethoven

Claudio Arrau (1903-1991) is a pianist fully deserving of the epithet ‘legendary’. His rigorous intellect and sense of the sublime found expression in his transcendent technique and sumptuous, yet lucid sonorities. The recordings in this 24CD collection, a significant portion of Arrau’s legacy from the years between 1921 and 1962, are indispensable to his extensive discography. They can now be heard in their full glory, thanks to a process of restoration and HD remastering using the original tapes (for recordings from the LP era) or the best available source (for 78s). Among them are four world premiere releases: Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 30, op. 109, a Chopin étude, and two pieces by Liszt.

Jan Vermeulen is considered one of today’s most prominent fortepiano virtuosos. After his piano studies at the Brussels conservatory, his interest and urge for authenticity pushed him into the direction of historical instruments. His pioneering recording of the sonatas of CM von Weber at the beginning of the nineties marked the start of a flourishing career as a fortepiano artist. In that same period he founded the Florestan Fortepiano Trio. This ensemble (later renamed Tröndlin Trio) was one of the first to perform the classical romantic repertoire on authentic instruments.