Typically, Brendel has been busy as a fiend making steady additions to his discography in the past few months. Some of the highlights include:

• The Art of Alfred Brendel 25-CD Set

In commemoration of his 65th birthday Philips Classics have issued a 25-CD deluxe limited edition "at a special low price" which serves as a tribute to and overview of his interpretations of Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Liszt, Mozart, Schubert, and Schumann.

• Schubert's "Trout Quintet"

One of Schubert's and chamber music's best-loved pieces comes coupled with Mozart's Piano Quartet K. 478 in a sparkling new digital recording by Brendel and friends; audio sample of "Trout" Quintet available in the Selected Recordings page.

• Beethoven Piano Sonatas

Brendel has just finished recording his third complete cycle of the Beethoven piano sonatas, the last disc of which -- Sonatas Nos. 30-32, Op. 109-11 (pictured right, top) -- appeared in North American stores round about October 15. The complete box of ten discs (pictured right, bottom) was released sometime before Christmas 1996 and is available at a "special" price (probably buy-9-get-1-free or something like). Outstanding discs from this digital cycle are featured in the Selected Recordings page, including audio samples from the "Hammerklavier" and the "Pathétique" Sonatas.

• Schoenberg Piano Concerto
  

After touring this piece in 1993 with Michael Gielen and the Südwestfunk Orchestra, they all collaborated on a recording which has only just been released. As companions are Schoenberg's two Chamber Symphonies, again with Gielen conducting the Südwestfunk. Anyone heard this one yet?