CD 1 - Konzert Ludwigsburg, Schloss, Ordenssaal, 1953:
Ludwig van Beethoven:
Klaviersonate C-Dur Nr. 3, Op. 2
Klaviersonate Nr. 21 C-Dur, Op. 53 (Waldstein)

CD 2:
Ludwig van Beethoven:
Klaviersonate Nr. 29 B-Dur, Op. 106 (Hammerklavier) [Recital Ludwigsburg, Schloss, Ordenssaal, 1953 (Forts.)]
Klavierkonzert Nr. 5 Es-Dur, Op. 73 [Konzert Stuttgart, Liederhalle, 1962]

CD 3 - Konzert Stuttgart, Liederhalle, 1959:
Johannes Brahms:
Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 B-Dur, Op. 83
Walzer H-Dur, Op. 39, 1
Walzer H-Dur, Op. 39, 2
Walzer Cis-Dur, Op. 39, 6

Contains all the recordings that Wilhelm Backhaus made for SWR.

Most of the recordings are being released for the first time.

Three legendary performances from 1953 (Ordensaal Schloss Ludwigsburg), December 1959 (Liederhalle Stuttgart) and March 1962 (Liederhalle Stuttgart).

Wilhelm Backhaus was one of the world’s most renowned pianists of the 20th century.

Wilhelm Backhaus, who in 1905 won the distinguished Anton Rubinstein competition in Paris at the age of 21, limited his repertoire after the Second World War to works by the great masters Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Schubert, Haydn and Schumann. These three piano recitals from 1953, 1959 and 1962 present the pianist in the mature stage of his artistry.

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Recording: CD 1 & CD 2 (Tracks 1-5): 12.12.1953 in Ludwigsburg, Schloss, Ordenssaal; CD 2 (Tracks 6-8): 15.03.1962 Stuttgart, Liederhalle; CD 3: 02.12.1959 Stuttgart, Liederhalle