From New York Nights to The Rainbow Comes and Goes via four piano concertos, a recent commission featuring massed Celtic Harps and much, much more, Irish composer-pianist-teacher Philip Martin is one of today’s most remarkable musicians.

This new set of 24 Preludes, dedicated to the Taiwanese pianist Pei-Chun Liao, is presented as two sets of 12 pieces. The first dozen date from 2017 and are very modestly proportioned so could be tackled by enterprising, bold players from post-Grade 3 level upwards. Combining economy of expression and wide-ranging characterisation, these finely crafted musical aphorisms make their mark with incisive rhythmic bite (Nos 2, 7, 8 and 12), wistful nostalgia (Nos 1, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 11) and striking colouristic effects (especially evident in Nos 3 and 9). An extremely useful set for thoughtful and enterprising players of all ages.

The second set of 12 presents Preludes that date from 2019 and are a little more challenging. Perhaps post-Grade 5 players would warm more readily to this selection. But it is not educational fare as such: Martin’s music is substantial and memorable, making every piece worthy of concert performance. Prelude No 9, dedicated to the composer’s wife Julia, is particularly exquisite.

Martin is able to cast sonic spells with the minimum quantity of notes – a miraculous talent evident in Prelude No 11 ‘Quasi improvisando’ from the 2019 set, as well as in the rhythmically asymmetrically infectious final piece. Elsewhere we encounter wistful elegance (Nos 1, 5 and 7), concentrated etudette-like filigree (Nos 2 and 6), mournful intensity (No 3), impulsive atonal abandon (No 4) and micro dances (Nos 8 and 10).

Individual, accessible contemporary music that many players will find extremely stimulating.