Ultimate Classical Piano is part of Decca's "Ultimate" series of box sets, released in 2006. Each disc contains 20 tracks of some of the most familiar and famous piano works ever written, performed by some of the greatest pianists, all pulled from Decca's vast archive. The selections range from the Baroque to the 20th century, but they are not organized in any particular fashion. Just a few of the highlights are
Vladimir Ashkenazy playing
Chopin,
Alicia de Larrocha playing Albéniz and
Granados, and
Julius Katchen playing Brahms. There's something for everyone and every mood here. The sound quality is overall very good, but does vary from track to track as is expected in a collection of this kind. Casual classical piano admirers should not be disappointed by this assortment of music and performers.