Stephen Hough - York Bowen Piano Music: Preludes; Sonata No. 5; Romances etc (1996)

Tracklist

01. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 1 in C Major
02. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 2 in C Minor
03. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 10 in E Minor
04. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 7 in E-Flat Major
05. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 8 in E-Flat Minor
06. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 22 in B-Flat Minor
07. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 21 in B-Flat Major
08. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 15 in G Major
09. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 16 in G Major
10. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 6 in D Minor
11. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 19 in A Major
12. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 20 in A Minor
13. 24 Preludes in All Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102: No. 18 in G-Sharp Minor
14. Ballade No. 2, Op. 87
15. Piano Sonata No. 5 in F Minor, Op. 72: I. Moderato
16. Piano Sonata No. 5 in F Minor, Op. 72: II. Andante semplice
17. Piano Sonata No. 5 in F Minor, Op. 72: III. Allegro con fuoco – Più lento – Più mosso e con fuoco
18. Berceuse, Op. 83
19. Suite Mignonne, Op. 39: III. Moto perpetuo
20. Toccata in A Minor, Op. 155
21. Romance No. 1 in G-Flat Major, Op. 35 No. 2
22. Romance No. 2 in F Major, Op. 45

York Bowen ranks as one of the greatest virtuoso pianists England has seen. His vast output of piano compositions stands comparison with that of Rachmaninov and yet has remained largely neglected: he was a figure who wrote the the sort of music he loved – not the new 'trendy' music his own generation demanded.

"York Bowen is master of every kind of piano writing, which, great artist that he is, he uses not to the ends of trumpery and empty virtuoso affichage, but to the purposes of the powerful brilliant glowing and rich expression of a very individual beautiful and interesting musical thought … York Bowen is, at the present time, the one English composer whose work can justly be said to be that of a great Master of the instrument, as Rachmaninov was or as Medtner is." (Sorabji).

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