This is more than a flawless recital played with technical bravura and a born soloist’s confidence. Abduraimov is a major pianist, worth talking about in the same breath as the international stars whose names as far more widely known.

Each ‘picture’ in the gallery unfolds its own enticing universe, vividly elucidated by the most genial and compelling of tour guides...Abduraimov’s visionary interpretation is on a par with the very finest. His secret ingredient is an acute awareness of orchestral colours (not necessarily from Ravel) and an ability constantly to vary timbre and texture without damaging the natural flow...All in all, a serious candidate for a benchmark recording, capping a most distinguished recital.

[Chopin Preludes] The E-flat minor (No 14) is remarkable, occupying the hairline between detail and effect, its unsettling atmosphere a perfect foil to the so- called ‘Raindrop’ that follows. Single lines can speak volumes, despite – or perhaps because of – Abduraimov’s restraint.

The Chopin Preludes are beautifully and self-effacingly done, his almost Classical restraint (rubato is used sparingly throughout) making favourites like the ‘Raindrop’ Prelude come up as fresh as paint. But it’s the stupendous account of Mussorgsky’s Picture at an Exhibition that makes this album indispensable...One of the marvellous things about this set is the way Abduraimov manages to conjure not just the Pictures themselves but also the space which each one inhabits.

Abduraimov’s programme seems designed to display the Tashkent-born pianist’s versatility. Ringing, generously pedalled sounds, rich in harmonics, and a fleetness and precision of execution characterise his account of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.