Of Liszt’s pupils, the Scottish pianist Frederic Lamond (1868-1948) was survived only by José Vianna da Motta, who died a few months later the same year. A stalwart and reverent player, Lamond is often cited as the foremost exponent of Beethoven after Hans von Bülow and before Artur Schnabel. One of his favourite and most successful programmes consisted of the Hammerklavier to open, followed by Opp 110 and 111, and concluded with the Waldstein and Appassionata. This three-disc APR set, including both acoustic and electrical recordings made between 1919 and 1941 is, to the best of my knowledge, the most comprehensive survey of Lamond yet to appear.

Taken as a whole, these performances throw open a window to a bygone era, revealing a musician less prone to what our modern ears might consider the wilful affectations of pianists like Hambourg or Paderewski. Yet Lamond is unmistakably himself, with a strong point of view unambiguously expressed in everything he plays. Interestingly, for those Liszt pieces he recorded more than once over a period of decades, his interpretation remains remarkably consistent. And, listening to Lamond’s powerfully cohesive, expressive Beethoven sonatas, one can easily imagine the fascination he held for the public.

Andrew Hallifax and Bryan Crimp’s transfers face some stiff competition in the 2013 two-disc set ‘Rare Broadcasts and Selected Recordings’ from Marston. That said, this is a compendium no one interested in performance practice or the history of piano-playing will want to miss. Highly recommended.