Große Sonate Für Klavier G-Dur Op.37 / Ballade Für Klavier G-Moll Op.24

Released in 1978 by the storied His Master's Voice label, this recording pairs Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Grand Sonata in G Major, Op. 37, with Edvard Grieg’s Ballade in the form of variations on a Norwegian melody, Op. 24. These works represent significant, if sometimes overlooked, contributions to the 19th-century piano repertoire. Tchaikovsky's sonata, completed in 1878, was an ambitious attempt to embrace traditional Germanic structures, while Grieg's ballade, written three years earlier, serves as a poignant, deeply personal exploration of his Norwegian heritage, marked by intense harmonic experimentation and emotional weight.

The performance is rendered by German pianist Raymund Havenith, an artist noted for his technical precision and thoughtful approach to the Romantic canon. By selecting these specific compositions, the release offers a focused comparison of how two distinct national musical voices approached the large-scale solo piano form during the late Romantic period. The recording was produced during a period when His Master's Voice, under the EMI umbrella, was actively cataloging and preserving high-quality interpretations of less frequently performed works by major masters, providing listeners with a refined look at these technically demanding pieces.