Decca Classics releases ‘Ashkenazy: 50 Years on Decca’, a limited edition box-set comprised of 50 CDs to celebrate the label’s remarkable 50-year recording partnership with Vladimir Ashkenazy.

‘Ashkenazy: 50 Years on Decca - the Original Jacket Collection’ includes many key recordings since Ashkenazy’s recording debut for the label in March 1963.

Decca Classics’ new release showcases a rich and varied repertoire, with Ashkenazy’s now-legendary debut recording of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3 featuring on the first of the 50 CDs (with the LSO under the baton of Anatole Fistoulari).

The collection includes Ashkenazy collaborating with some of classical music’s greatest conductors, such as Solti, Kondrashin, Maazel, Previn, Barenboim, Haitink and Mehta; accompanying great singers and instrumentalists such as Perlman, Harrell and Söderström; as virtuoso pianist in a wide range of solo repertoire; and as an internationally-renowned conductor, particularly of Russian and Nordic repertoire.

The limited-edition ‘Ashkenazy: 50 Years on Decca’ box-set is beautifully packaged with original LP jackets in the label’s now-familiar cube box with hinged lid, and also includes booklet notes in English and Japanese, a complete discography of Ashkenazy’s recordings on Decca, a composer index, and a unique article from his long-time producer Andrew Cornall on Ashkenazy in the studio, making this a collector’s essential.

Contents (by composer):
BARTOK
- Piano Concerto No.1 (LPO / Solti)
- Piano Concerto No.2 (LPO / Solti)
- Sonata for 2 pianos and percussion (Vovka Ashkenazy / David Corkhill / Andrew Smith)

BEETHOVEN
- Andante favori in F major, WoO57
- Fantasia for piano, chorus and orchestra (Cleveland)
- Quintet for piano and winds in E flat, op.16
- Piano Concerto No.1 (WP / Mehta)
- Piano Concerto No.2 (WP / Mehta)
- Piano Concerto No.3 (CSO / Solti)
- Piano Concerto No.4 (CSO / Solti)
- Piano Concerto No.5 “Emperor” (Cleveland)
- Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor, op.2 no.1
- Piano Sonata No.5 in C minor, op.10 no.1
- Piano Sonata No.6 in F major, op.10 no.2
- Piano Sonata No.7 in D major, op.10 no.3
- Piano Sonata No.20 in G major, op.49 no.2
- Piano Sonata No.21 in C major, op.53 “Waldstein”
- Piano Sonata No.27 in E minor, op.90
- Piano Sonata No.28 in A major, op.101
- Piano Sonata No.29 in B flat major, op.106 “Hammerklavier”
- Sonata for horn and piano in F major, op.17 (Tuckwell)
- Symphony No.5 (PO)
- Symphony No.7 (PO)
- 33 Variations in C major on a Waltz by Anton Diabelli, op.120
- 12 Variations in A major, WoO71 “Wranitzky”
- Violin Sonata No.5 “Spring” (Perlman)
- Violin Sonata No.9 “Kreutzer” (Perlman)

BRAHMS
- Cello Sonata No.1 in E minor, op.38 (Harrell)
- Cello Sonata No.2 in F major, op.99 (Harrell)
- Clarinet Trio in A minor, op.114 (Cohen / Geber)
- Horn Trio in E flat major, op.40 (Tuckwell / Perlman)
- Piano Concerto No.1 (COA / Haitink)
- Piano Concerto No.2 (WP / Haitink)
- Piano Quintet in F minor, op.34 (CO String Quartet)

CHOPIN
- Ballades 1-4
- Barcarolle in F sharp major, op.60
- 12 Études, op.10
- 12 Études, op.25
- 3 Nouvelles études, op.posth.
- Piano Concerto No.2 (LSO / Zinman)
- Prélude in C sharp minor, op.45
- Scherzos 1-4

DEBUSSY
- L’isle joyeuse

FRANCK
- Sonata for violin and piano in A major (Perlman)

GRECHANINOV
- The Lane (Tropinka) – Five Children’s Songs, op.89 (Söderström)

LISZT
- Impromptu (“Nocturne”)
- Mephisto Waltz No.1

MENDELSSOHN
- Symphony No.1 (DSO Berlin)
- Symphony No.5 “Reformation” (DSO Berlin)

MOZART
- Concerto for two pianos in E flat major, K365 (Barenboim / ECO)
- Concerto for three pianos in F major, K242 (Barenboim / Ts’ong / ECO)
- Piano Concerto No.8 in C major, K246 “Lützow” (LSO / Kertész)
- Piano Concerto No.9 in E flat major, K271 “Jeunnehomme” (LSO / Kertész)
- Piano Concerto No.17 in G major, K453 (PO)
- Piano Concerto No.20 in D minor, K466 (LSO / Schmidt-Isserstedt)
- Piano Concerto No.21 in C major, K467 (PO)
- Rondo in A major, K386 (LSO / Kertész)
- Piano Sonata in D major, K576
- Sonata for 2 pianos in D major, K448

MUSSORGSKY
- The Nursery (Dyetskaya) (Söderström)
- Pictures at an Exhibition (original piano version)
- Pictures at an Exhibition (Ashkenazy orchestration)

PROKOFIEV
- Autumnal, op.8 (LSO)
- Cinderella – complete ballet (CO)
- Dreams (COA)
- 2 Pieces for piano from “Romeo and Juliet”, op.75
- Piano Concerto No.2
- Piano Concerto No.3
- Piano Sonata No.7
- Piano Sonata No.8
- Symphony No.1 “Classical” (LSO)
- Symphony No.5 (COA)
- The Ugly Duckling (Gadkiy utenok), op.18 (Söderström)

RACHMANINOV
- The Bells (Troitskaya / Karczykowski / Krause / COA)
- 8 Études-tableaux, op.33
- Piano Concerto No.1 (LSO / Previn)
- Piano Concerto No.2 (Moscow PO / Kondrashin
- Piano Concerto No.3 (LSO / Fistoulari)
- Piano Concerto No.4 (LSO / Previn)
- Piano Sonata No.2
- Prélude in C sharp minor, op.3 no.2
- 10 Préludes, op.23
- 13 Préludes, op.32 ]
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (LSO / Previn)
- Suite No.1 for 2 pianos (Previn)
- Suite No.2 for 2 pianos (Previn)
- Symphonic Dances (COA)
- Symphonic Dances for 2 pianos (Previn)
- Symphony No.1 (COA)
- Symphony No.3 (COA)
- Variations on a Theme of Corelli

RAVEL
- Gaspard de la nuit
- Pavane pour une infante défunte
- Trio (Perlman / Harrell)
- Valses nobles et sentimentales

SCHUMANN
- Adagio and Allegro in A flat major, op.70 for horn and piano(Tuckwell)
- Arabesque in C major, op.18
- Andante and Variations for two pianos, 2 cellos and horn
- Fantasie in C major, op.17
- Papillons, op.2
- Piano Concerto (LSO / Segal)
- Piano Sonata No.2 in G minor, op.22
- Study in canon form, Op.56 no.4
- Symphonic Studies, op.13

SCRIABIN
- 2 Danses, op.73
- 4 Morceaux, op.56
- Piano Concerto in F sharp minor, op.20 (LPO / Maazel)
- Piano Sonata No.2 in G sharp minor, op.19 “Sonata-fantasy”
- Piano Sonata No.4 in F sharp major, op.30
- Piano Sonata No.6, op.62
- Piano Sonata No.7, op.64 “White Mass”
- Piano Sonata No.9, op.68 “Black Mass”
- Piano Sonata No.10, op.70
- Le Poème de l’Extase, op.54 (RSO Berlin)
- 2 Poèmes, op.32
- Prometheus, op.60 (LPO / Maazel)
- Rêverie, op.24 (RSO Berlin)

SHOSTAKOVICH
- Piano Concerto No.1 (Concerto for piano, trumpet and strings) (Jablonski / Simmons / RPO)
- Piano Concerto No.2 (Ortiz / RPO)
- Piano Quintet in G minor, op.57 (Fitzwilliam Quartet)
- 24 Preludes and Fugues
- Suite on Poems of Michelangelo, op.145 (Shirley-Quirk)
- Symphony No.7 “Leningrad” (St Petersburg PO)
- Violin Concerto No.1 (Belkin / RPO)

SIBELIUS
- Finlandia (PO)
- Luonnotar (Söderström / PO)
- Symphony No.2 (PO)
- Tapiola (PO)

STRAUSS, Richard
- Also sprach Zarathustra (CO)
- Dance of the Seven Veils from “Salome” (CO)
- Don Quixote (Harrell / CO)

TCHAIKOVSKY
- Élégie for strings (RPO)
- Francesca da Rimini (RPO)
- Manfred Symphony (PO)
- Piano Concerto No.1 (LSO / Maazel)
- Romeo and Juliet – Fantasy Overture (RPO)
- Symphony No.4 (PO)
- Symphony No.6 “Pathétique” (PO)
- Violin Concerto (Belkin / New PO)