When ECM recorded András Schiff’s Beethoven sonata cycle in concerts in Zurich in the noughties, it also recorded his encores, which now appear on disc for the first time. Schiff contributes an essay outlining his relationship and those of other performers to the music, which comes as a requested gift after the advertised programme is over.

His choices, by the way, are anything but spontaneous. As he explains, the connections were all pre-planned. If, like me, you have found that encores often bring out the best in musicians, you will be delighted with Schiff’s offerings of Schubert, Mozart, Haydn and Bach as well as Beethoven.

The complete cycle has also been issued as a boxed set. including the new encore disc. url.ie/kh67