Romanian pianist Radu Lupu commanded a legion of fans and connoisseurs all over the world. His rare appearances in the concert hall were packed with audiences which included top-drawer performers. He was the master of lyricism and could make the piano whisper like no other.
'Everyone tells a story differently, and that story should be told compellingly and spontaneously.  If it is not compelling and convincing, it is without value.'  In these words, from 1991, Radu Lupu outlined his artistic vision.   He remains one of the most outstanding pianists of his generations and his 23 Decca recordings for Decca are among the most treasured recordings in the Catalogue.  To mark what would have been his 80th birthday in November 2025, Decca is proud to present a 6-CD capbox, made up entirely of material not otherwise recorded by Lupu and never-before released tapes from the Decca archives.  Accompanied by a booklet including  a fascinating note by the renowned piano specialist Jessica Duchen, photographs from the Decca archive (several previously unpublished), as well as tributes from artists and friends who knew and worked with him, this set will be a dream for many collectors given his rare appearances in the concert hall, and modest discography.
The recordings in this set span more than 30 years, the earliest (Chopin) in the city of Leeds in 1970, following his triumph there the year before at the Leeds Piano Competition, the most recent (Debussy) given as an encore at a concert in Germany in 2002.

Tracklisting:

CD 1
Mozart: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, K. 478

CD 2
Schubert: 
Piano Sonata No. 15 in C Major, D. 840 "Reliquie" 
Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Major, D. 850 "Gasteiner"

CD 3
Haydn: 
Andante and Variations in F Minor, Hob. XVII 
Piano Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:37
Piano Sonata in C Minor, Hob. XVI:20

Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, K. 545 "Sonata facile"
Schumann: Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13

CD 4
Chopin:
Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 20
2 Nocturnes, Op. 27

Bartók: Out of Doors, Sz. 81
Copland: Piano Sonata

CD 5
Schumann: Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26 
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

CD 6
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 18 in B-Flat Major, K. 456
Schumann: Piano Sonata No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11
Debussy: D'un cahier d'esquisses, CD 112