"Fire-eating virtuoso" is how Stereo Review described the finales of the Rachmaninov concertos recorded by pianist Rafael Orozco (1946-1996) with Edo de Waart.

Collected here are the complete Philips recordings of one of Spain's piano aristocracy, winner of the 1966 Leeds Piano Competition. There is passion and poetry in equal measure, and an instinctive feeling for the ebb and flow of a phrase in these recordings of works by Chopin, Schumann, Liszt and Rachmaninov.

Barnstorming virtuosity from a distinguished member of Spain's piano aristocracy: the complete Philips albums of Rafael Orozco, including several recordings new to CD.

At the age of 20, Rafael Orozco came to the world's attention at the 1966 Leeds Piano Competition. The fire and poetry of his Chopin, Liszt and Albéniz won him first prize, and then a contract with HMV/EMI which led to several acclaimed albums such as the Chopin Preludes.

However, Orozco entered his full artistic maturity around the time of his recordings for Philips, made between 1972 and 1975. A solo album of Rachmaninov is one of the newly remastered treasures which have been forgotten over time, but it confirms the depth of Orozco's touch at the keyboard and his instinctive feeling for the ebb and flow of a phrase. Orozco projects the volatile mood-swings of Schumann's Kreisleriana while holding close control over details of line and texture.

In his booklet appreciation of Orozco, Jed Distler compares the album of Chopin's Scherzos to meeting an old friend after a long absence: "I had forgotten the nuanced scintillation in the first Scherzo's demonic outer sections, not to mention the uncommon precision and centredness of the triplets in No.2's famous main theme." He points out the coruscating impact but also strong architectural feeling of the Liszt Sonata recording which stands out among the solo repertoire on the set.

Orozco also found a meeting of minds with the young Dutch conductor Edo de Waart. Aided by transparent Philips engineering, they explored all the refinements of dialogue in concertos by Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. His playing of them strikes a rare balance between refinement, passion and a sense of abandon. However, his Philips catalogue has rarely been reissued on CD, making this first-ever collection of his recordings for the label a valuable reminder of Orozco's place in the pantheon of Spanish pianists, alongside the likes of Alicia de Larrocha and Esteban Sánchez.

"Orozco carries it off impressively, with top-notch collaboration from Edo de Waart and absolutely superb recording in terms of sonic richness from Philips." - Stereo Review, April 1974 (Rachmaninov: Concertos nos. 1 & 4)

"A broad, bold, firmly delineated reading ... the playing is healthy, extroverted, well-disciplined, and marvellously captured by the microphone." - High Fidelity, May 1975 (Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto no.2)

"[This Rachmaninov has] some unusual qualities: Orozco's subtle, non-theatrical phrasing and his consistently mellow tone, never once sounding harsh or percussive; the orchestra's suave, refined playing." - Fanfare, November 1979 (Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto no.2, Paganini Rhapsody)

"When the Concerto started I thought it was going to be a real barnstormer of a performance, but I noted several moments of original interpretative thought and sensitivity." - Gramophone, January 1984 (Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto no.1)

"A superb, commanding account." - Gramophone, April 1995 (Liszt: Sonata)