Etüden Nr.10 As-Dur / Nr.19 Cis-Moll / Nr.18 Gis-Moll / Nr.20 Des-Dur / Nr. 21 Ges-Dur / Nr. 5 Ges-Dur / Nr. 13 As-Dur / Nr.14 F-Moll / Nr. 15 F-Dur / Nr. 8 F-Dur / Nr.2 E-Moll / Nr.23 E-Moll

This Decca release, catalog number NLX 3091, features the legendary German pianist Wilhelm Backhaus performing a curated selection of Frédéric Chopin’s Etudes. Recorded during the mid-20th century, these performances capture the transition of Backhaus's interpretive style, which was deeply rooted in the Austro-German tradition but applied here to the technical and poetic demands of the Romantic repertoire. The recording emerged during a period when Decca was expanding its catalog of high-fidelity piano recordings, seeking to capture the distinct tonal weight and clarity Backhaus was known for in his later career.

The design of the LP release reflects the minimalist and academic aesthetic favored by Decca for its classical series during the era, prioritizing the identification of the repertoire and the performer over elaborate cover illustration. Backhaus, who was often celebrated for his Beethoven and Brahms cycles, approached the Chopin Etudes not merely as technical exercises, but as miniature tone poems. While his playing was sometimes critiqued by purists for being less overtly sentimental than the Polish school of Chopin playing, critics of the time frequently praised his structural integrity and the robust, muscular clarity he brought to these challenging works.