TRACKLISTING
CD 1
1-4 Sonata No.1 in F minor, op.2/1
5-8 Sonata No.2 in A major, op.2/2
9-12 Sonata No.3 in C major, op.2/3
13-15 Sonata No.5 in C minor, op.10/1

CD 2
1-4 Sonata No.4 in E flat major, op.7
5-7 Sonata No.6 in F major, op.10/2
8-11 Sonata No.7 in D major, op.10/3
12-14 Sonata No.8 in C minor, op.13

CD 3
1-3 Sonata No.9 in E major, op.14/1
4-6 Sonata No.10 in G major, op.14/2
7-10 Sonata No.11 in B flat major, op.22
11-14 Sonata No.12 in A flat major, op.26

CD 4
1-4 Sonata No.13 in E flat major, op.27/1
5-7 Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, op.27/2
8-11 Sonata No.15 in D major, op.28
12-14 Sonata No.16 in G major, op.31/1

CD 5
1-3 Sonata No.17 in D minor, op.31/2
4-7 Sonata No.18 in E flat major, op.31/3
8-9 Sonata No.19 in G minor, op.49/1
10-11} Sonata No.20 in G major, op.49/2
12-14 Sonata No.21 in C major, op.53

CD 6
1-2 Sonata No.22 in F major, op.54
3-5 Sonata No.23 in F minor, op.57
6-7 Sonata No.24 in F sharp major, op.78
8-10 Sonata No.25 in G major, op.79
11-13 Sonata No.26 in E flat major, op.81a

CD 7
1-2 Sonata No.27 in E minor, op.90
3-5 Sonata No.28 in A major, op.101
6-9 Sonata No.29 in B flat major, op.106

CD 8
1-3 Sonata No.30 in E major, op.109
4-7 Sonata No.31 in A flat major, op.110
8-9 Sonata No.32 in C minor, op.111

His early studies were in Leipzig and at Frankfurt (where he was a pupil of the legendary d’Albert) and in the early years of the twentieth century he began a career as a travelling virtuoso. He travelled extensively and carried on performing until almost the very end of his life.

Backhaus was one of the great exponents of the Classical and Romantic repertory and his performances had an integrity that eschewed any unnecessary display and flamboyance; his concern was to give the most direct interpretation of what the composer wishes and the structure and architecture of his chosen repertory was paramount. Backhaus recorded extensively for Decca throughout the 1950s and 1960s and recorded works by Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Schumann. His complete cycle of Beethoven Sonatas occupied him throughout the 1950s and 1960s and is regarded by many as his greatest achievement, and the cycle is justly recognised as one of the great recorded cycles. It has not been available on CD for some years now and is reissued in response to repeated requests to make it available again.