Most of Beethoven’s ten violin sonatas were composed within a time span of no more than 6 years (1797-1803), with the exception of the last one, op. 96, which he began in 1812, taking probably a further 3 years to revise to his satisfaction. This means the set as a whole represents a relatively young […]

The settings heard on this disc meld together the talents of two outstanding creative artists, the composer Paul Honey and the poet Gregory Warren Wilson, producing a collection in which the inner life of the listener is both confronted and empowered. Warren Wilson’s metaphysically infused set of haiku, Earth’s Imagined Corners, derives its title from […]

The rehabilitation of Liszt has been a gradual process, and is certainly not yet fully achieved. Such considerations may still fall within the realm of the specialist, for his most popular solo piano works have always been found in the repertoire of every virtuoso, although it is only in the last few decades that pianists […]

The album’s musical material based on the use of chorale and hymn themes as a significant and fundamental element of world musical culture over the past few centuries, especially within the European musical tradition. The solo piano compositions are improvisational; with only the themes are approximate form prepared. In contrast, the pieces for the cello […]

This unique programme of four works for cello and piano by significant twentieth-century composers is a reflection of the greater interest in writing for the cello that the inspiration of two highly gifted instrumentalists was to have during that period. For many music-lovers, the major cello virtuosos of the century were Pablo Casals and Mstislav […]

The Sonata for Two Violins had been given its world premiere in the Soviet Union, where Prokofiev retained contacts alongside his successes in the US and in Western Europe. This performance took place in Moscow on 27 November 1932, and was given by two members of the Beethoven Quartet, Dmitry Tsyganov and Vladimir Shirinsky. This […]