The astonishing Marc-Andre Hamelin has done it again. This two CD set is now the best available recording of these amazing pieces. Not that pianists have been lining up to tackle them. I know of only two other pianists that have dared to record a complete performance: Geoffrey Douglas Madge (whose recording of these pieces is, I believe, out of print now) and Carlo Grante. You may draw any conclusion you please from the fact that Madge took four CDs, Grante three, but Hamelin only two to traverse these finger breakers. Godowsky (1870-1938) was, perhaps, the greatest pianist that has ever lived. He was playing the piano at three years of age, and that without lessons! His understanding of the modern piano and its capablities was unique and profound. All of the great pianists of his day (and he lived in an age of masters - players like Rachmaninov, Hoffmann, Grainger, and Busoni were his peers) held him in awe. Godowsky's "Fifty-three Studies based upon twenty-six Etudes of Chopin" are infamous for their murderous difficulty. Twenty two of the studies are for the left hand alone. Several of them contrapuntally combine two of Chopin's etudes at the same time. The results have been vilified by many as a blasphemy against Chopin; however, Godowsky loved Chopin's music and considered these pieces an act of reverence. They are unique in the piano literature and every lover of the instrument should be familiar with them. It takes a musician of Mr. Hamelin's Olympian gifts to do them justice though. It was said in Godowsky's day that he was writing for a future generation of pianists. Mr Hamelin shows that generation has arrived with a vengeance. These fascinating CDs are well worth your time and money, don't hesitate to purchase them.