Johann Baptist Cramer’s formidable reputation as a pianist of sensitivity and singing tone at the keyboard is transferred into his Études, the musical interest in these pieces including echoes of Bach and Scarlatti. This made them favourites with Beethoven and Schumann in their day, their influence resonating through pianistic history. Perhaps even more than Clementi’s contemporaneous Gradus ad Parnassum, Cramer’s Études established a keyboard style and tradition which can be traced through to Chopin, Busoni and beyond.

This recording of essential piano repertoire brings together a strong trio of pianists, including Gianluca Luisi, whose Liszt recording for Naxos stunned Fanfare by being filled “with so much joy, as well as so much musical integrity”. The artists on this recording of the complete Etudes bring us historically significant and musically satisfying repertoire which is virtually unknown on recordings.