Learn more about this recording on the Naxos Classical Spotlight podcast!

This, the final volume in Konstantin Scherbakov's recording of Godowsky's complete works for piano is also the second of two volumes dedicated to Godowsky’s Studies on the Chopin Études. Scherbakov performs these fearsomely challenging works with aplomb: ‘There is no one better for Godowsky’ (American Record Guide). The first volume is available on 8.225372 (volume 14 in the series).

Adolf von Henselt belongs firmly in the realm of 19th-century composer-pianists such as Chopin, Schumann and Liszt. He was influential in establishing a true Russian school of pianism and held in high esteem by Rachmaninov. Henselt's virtuoso technique was admired for it's cantabile qualities but his performing career was cut short by extreme stage fright. Dating from early in his career, the etudes blend technical demands with clarity of vision and a lyrical poetic expressiveness often reflected in colourful descriptive titles.