Twentieth Century British Piano Works

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Edward Elgar, E(rnest) J(ohn) Moeran, John (Nicholson) Ireland, Christopher Headington, Paul Patterson, Frederick Delius, Benjamin Britten

Label: Kingdom

Magazine Review Date: 11/1990

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 69

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: KCLCD2017

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
Adieu	Edward Elgar, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Edward Elgar, Composer
In Smyrna	Edward Elgar, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Edward Elgar, Composer
Serenade	Edward Elgar, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Edward Elgar, Composer
(3) Preludes	Frederick Delius, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Frederick Delius, Composer
Summer Valley	E(rnest) J(ohn) Moeran, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano E(rnest) J(ohn) Moeran, Composer
Ballade-Image	Christopher Headington, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Christopher Headington, Composer
Cinquanta	Christopher Headington, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Christopher Headington, Composer
(A) Tunnel of Time	Paul Patterson, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Paul Patterson, Composer
Holiday Diary	Benjamin Britten, Composer Benjamin Britten, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano
Decorations, Movement: Island Spell	John (Nicholson) Ireland, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano John (Nicholson) Ireland, Composer

Composer or Director: Edward Elgar, E(rnest) J(ohn) Moeran, John (Nicholson) Ireland, Christopher Headington, Paul Patterson, Frederick Delius, Benjamin Britten

Label: Kingdom

Magazine Review Date: 11/1990

Media Format: Cassette

Media Runtime: 0

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: CKCL2017

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
Adieu	Edward Elgar, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Edward Elgar, Composer
In Smyrna	Edward Elgar, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Edward Elgar, Composer
Serenade	Edward Elgar, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Edward Elgar, Composer
(3) Preludes	Frederick Delius, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Frederick Delius, Composer
Summer Valley	E(rnest) J(ohn) Moeran, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano E(rnest) J(ohn) Moeran, Composer
Ballade-Image	Christopher Headington, Composer Christopher Headington, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano
Cinquanta	Christopher Headington, Composer Christopher Headington, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano
(A) Tunnel of Time	Paul Patterson, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano Paul Patterson, Composer
Holiday Diary	Benjamin Britten, Composer Benjamin Britten, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano
Decorations, Movement: Island Spell	John (Nicholson) Ireland, Composer Christopher Headington, Piano John (Nicholson) Ireland, Composer

Author:

Readers of Gramophone do not need to be reminded of Christopher Headington's wide range of tastes and accomplishments. His ability as a pianist is enshrined in this well-chosen recital of works by British composers, including himself. The recording of piano tone is clear and pleasing throughout, with only occasionally a 'boxy' sound and the playing is always fluent and sympathetic. Elgar's In Smyrna, for example, has a delightful pianistic quality that makes the non-completion of his projected piano concerto all the more frustrating.
Delius's Three Preludes of 1923 will be new to many listeners. Entirely characteristic, they have shifting tone-colours comparable with those of the orchestral pieces. Just how much more convincing real Delius is than even the best-quality imitation may be heard from Moeran's Summer Valley of 1925. The greatest pianist among the composers represented here was Britten. His Holiday Diary, written when he was 20 in 1934, is one of his important early works. In the second movement, ''Sailing'', we hear the Britten of the passacaglia in the Violin Concerto, sustaining a lyrical melody through all attempts to subvert it. His teacher John Ireland's The Island Spell, a small masterpiece, no doubt had its influence on this amazingly gifted and eclectic pupil.
The disc's title, ''A Tunnel of Time'', is taken from Paul Patterson's composition of that name, performed with poetic insight and panache as befits music of such vivid character. Headington's two contributions are both fiftieth-birthday presents. Ballade-Image was written for a woman, an amateur pianist, who loved Chopin and Debussy. It is a skilful and enchanting concoction and was first played by the late John Ogdon, for whose own fiftieth birthday Headington wrote Cinquanta. This is more elaborate, with buried quotations (try to spot them) and demands a virtuoso style, duly provided.'