Among the handful of labels busily restoring York Bowen’s reputation as one of the greatest English composers of the 20th century, Hyperion is at the vanguard. Just taking the solo piano works alone, there is, for example, Stephen Hough’s riveting 24 Preludes in all major and minor keys and Danny Driver’s superb complete Piano Sonatas.
It seems apt that, like Hough, a fellow pianist-composer such as Nicolas Namoradze should tackle this music. That’s because not only is it stylistically indebted to the great pianist-composers of the past (which is not the same thing as derivative). It is also inspired by pure technique (the 12 Studies for piano Op. 46), pure storytelling ( Fragments from Hans AndersenOp.58 & 61) and pure delight in virtuosity (the Concert Studies Nos 1 & 2).
A professor of piano...
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