Anton Rubinstein remains a towering figure in the history of Russian music. During his lifetime he was regarded as perhaps the only pianist worthy to be compared with Liszt, and also enjoyed an international reputation as a composer. Despite his prolific output, much of his music remains ignored today. Inspired by Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes, the epic Theme and Variations is one of his major solo piano works. In contrast, the intimate Akrostichon No. 2 comprises five salon pieces that display Rubinstein’s natural gift for shaping long, lyrical lines.