For almost three decades brothers Alfons and Aloys Kontarsky were the world’s leading piano duo. They set the standard for all subsequent pairs of siblings to play the piano. Even today, their musical and analytical acuity and intellectual insight remain unrivalled. The highly talented musicians studied with the legendary pianist Eduard Erdmann, who described the brothers as ‘ingenious’. What is particularly fascinating about their playing is the lucid, transparent sound. An American critic summed it up succinctly: One pianist in two bodies. They inspired numerous contemporary composers to write new, intricately difficult pieces, while at the same time interpreting the works of the classical and romantic repertoire clearly, consistently and without superfluous sentimentality.

Between 1959 and 1983, they recorded numerous albums for Deutsche Grammophon, performing the works of composers such as Bartk, Brahms, Debussy, Dvok, Ravel and Schubert, as well as Kagel, Ligeti and B. A. Zimmermann. These recordings are now available for the first time as an 18 CD Original Jackets Collection, which includes three CD premieres. Saint-Sans’ ‘Carnival of the Animals’ is featured in three versions: English, German and a purely musical rendition. Additional recordings the Philips, ECM and Koch Schwann labels are also available, as are live recordings from the Lockenhaus festival. The portrait is completed by liner notes from Peter Uehling and Markus Kettner, as well as numerous rare and previously unpublished photos.