The complete works for viola & piano

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YORK BOWEN
The complete works for viola & piano
Lawrence Power (viola) Simon Crawford-Phillips (piano)

[ Hyperion / 2 CD ]

Release Date: Friday 1 August 2008

This item is currently out of stock. It may take 6 or more weeks to obtain from when you place your order as this is a specialist product.

'Composers whose rich romanticism was out of favour among 20th-century pundits who favoured angular austerity are finally receiving their due. Bowen believed the viola sounded more attractive than the violin and has a persuasive advocate in Power' (Classical Music Magazine)

RECORDING OF THE WEEK - CLASSICAL MUSIC MAGAZINE

'Composers whose rich romanticism was out of favour among 20th-century pundits who favoured angular austerity are finally receiving their due. Bowen believed the viola sounded more attractive than the violin and has a persuasive advocate in Power' (Classical Music Magazine)

'Power is a latter-day Orpheus, an expression of music's power to disarm, encourage, soothe and serenade' (Financial Times).

This recent appraisal of Lawrence Power affirms his status as one of the foremost violists of today, the heir to the long and honoured tradition of Lionel Tertis and William Primrose. His unwavering musical eloquence and brilliant technical ability have consistently drawn the highest praise for all his recordings and performances. His renditions of viola concertos by Walton, Rubbra, Cecil Forsyth and York Bowen have been acclaimed as benchmark recordings. He now presents a fascinating double-album of York Bowen's viola music: a selection that fully demonstrates the great artistry of the composer known as the 'English Rachmaninov'.

Bowen first came under the spell of the viola player Lionel Tertis when a student at the Royal Academy of Music. He responded to Tertis's unprecedented virtuosity and large tone with two sonatas, a concerto and many shorter pieces. He continued to write works for Tertis throughout his life, all of which are recorded here, and they display the sort of extraordinary technical challenges which prove what an amazing virtuoso he was.

Tracks:

Viola Sonata No 1 in C minor, Op 18
Romance in D flat major
Fantasia for four violas, Op 41 No 1
Piano Sonata No 14 in C sharp minor 'Moonlight', Op 27 No 2
Phantasy in F major, Op 54
Viola Sonata No 2 in F major, Op 22
Romance in A major
Allegro de concert
Melody for the G string, Op 47
Melody for the C string, Op 51 No 2
Rhapsody in G minor