York Bowen Piano Music: Preludes; Sonata No. 5; Romances etc.

Featuring

Stephen Hough
York Bowen

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Composer Biography

York Bowen was an accomplished horn player and violist, in addition to being a brilliant pianist and composer.

Historical Context

During the Great War, York Bowen served as a horn player in the regimental band of the Scots Guards in France before being invalided home with pneumonia in 1916.

Composer Biography

York Bowen, born Edwin Yorke Bowen, was the youngest of three sons, with a musician mother and a father who was a founder of a whisky distillery.

Composer's Artistic Vision

A particular characteristic of York Bowen's music is his love for repeating a melodic idea with changing harmonies, described as 'shifting sandals' that walk the same path by a different route.

Performer Biography

Stephen Hough, the pianist on this recording, was awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in 2001 for his unique contributions to contemporary life.

Recording & Production

This album was recorded in St George's, Brandon Hill, Bristol, in September 1995, with Tony Faulkner as the Recording Engineer and Andrew Keener as the Recording Producer.

Critical Reception

The composer and critic Kaikhosru Sorabji, known for his fearsome piano music, audaciously praised York Bowen's Twenty-four Preludes as the finest English piano music of their time.