Vladimir Sofronitzky (1901 – 1961) is still somewhat of an insider’s tip among the great Russian pianists of the 20th century. This 10-CD documentation is the first to present a comprehensive overview of his legacy. As the husband of a daughter of Alexander Scriabin, his name has always been very closely linked to the works of this composer, and they are also extensively represented here. However, the impressive Schubert and Schumann recordings, which make for a more accurate evaluation of this pianist, are also highly interesting. His conflicts with the guidelines of Soviet cultural policy prevented - especially in the 1930s - longer concert tours in Western countries. At this time Sofronitzky taught at the Conservatory in Leningrad (1936 – 42) and then from 1942 to 1961 in Moscow. He avoided glamorous appearances as much as possible. His recordings were made in the Great Hall and in the Chamber Music Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Prokofiev's Sonata No. 7 and the Preludes and Fugues op. 87 by Shostakovich in the Scriabin Memorial Museum. Along with the recordings of works by Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Debussy and Liszt, as well as the lesser known Lyadov, Borodin and Glasunov, they now provide the opportunity to perceive this pianist struggling with alcohol and drug abuse in all his artistic significance.