The Four Irish Dances, Op. 89, were originally for piano solo, but the composer allowed Percy Grainger to create a more virtuosic arrangement that became widely performed and published.
Composer Biography
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, the composer, began writing piano music at an early age, with a march composed when he was just eight years old.
Compositional Technique
The Three Dante Rhapsodies, Op. 92, are Stanford's most challenging piano work, written specifically for the virtuoso pianist Percy Grainger.
Composition History
Many of Stanford's piano works, including two Nocturnes, a Toccata, and two Sonatinas, remained in manuscript and were not published during his lifetime.
Recording & Production
This album is the first complete recording of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford's entire solo piano works.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Stanford's godmother, Elizabeth Meeke, a pupil of Ignaz Moscheles, greatly influenced his approach to piano playing and composition, emphasizing a beautiful touch over brute force.
Instruments
The recording features an Imperial Bösendorfer piano, a model known for its rich and powerful sound.
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