ELGAR’S REVELATORY PIANO TRANSCRIPTION OF THE ‘ENIGMA VARIATIONS’
in a new album with
RARE CHAMBER WORKS BY BRITISH 20TH-CENTURY COMPOSERS
ENIGMAS: Solo piano and chamber works
by Elgar, Leighton, Rubbra, Bowen and Sackman
Performed by acclaimed young artists:
ELSPETH WYLLIE piano
solo and chamber recitalist, appearances at the Purcell Room, Fairfield Halls, and for BBC Radio Scotland
CLAIRE OVERBURY flute
guest player with Britten Sinfonia, the RPO, and the Hallé Orchestra
HETTI PRICE cello
appearances at the Southbank Centre and on BBC Radio 3 In Tune
ALEXA BEATTIE viola
guest player with Munich Chamber Orchestra, ensemble appearances with Lisa Batiashvili and Kim Kashkashian
CATHERINE BACKHOUSE mezzo-soprano
Britten Pears Young Artist 2015, solo appearances with Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Garsington Opera
To coincide with Elgar’s 160th birthday on 2nd of June 2017, Divine Art is releasing a recital recording of solo piano and chamber works, featuring Elgar’s own solo piano transcription of his much-loved Enigma Variations. Elgar originally extemporised and sketched out the music at the piano, and his transcription highlights the intimate nature of a work inspired by friends and acquaintances.
This is complemented by a varied collection of masterful repertoire by British composers. Edwin York Bowen’s Sonata for flute and piano is well-known to flautists and Kenneth Leighton’s Elegy is familiar to many cellists – both works deserve to be more widely-known as staples of post-romantic concert repertoire. Edmund Rubbra’s Two Sonnets by William Alabaster for trio are exquisite, essential listening, and this is the first modern-day recording with a mezzo – as Rubbra intended. Finally, a premiere recording of Nicholas Sackman’s Folio I for solo piano, a lively suite originally written for his family.
Recording release date: 19 May 2017
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO A SAMPLE TRACK
LIST OF WORKS:
EDWARD ELGAR – Enigma Variations, Op.36 (composer’s own piano transcription)
KENNETH LEIGHTON – Elegy for cello and piano
EDWIN YORK BOWEN – Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 120
NICHOLAS SACKMAN – Folio I for solo piano *premiere recording*
EDMUND RUBBRA – Two Sonnets by William Alabaster for medium voice, viola and piano Op.87
ENIGMAS Solo piano and chamber works (Divine Art catalogue no. DDA 25145)
CDs available to pre-order: www.elspethwyllie.co.uk/enigmas-cd/
Digital format available 19 May: www.divineartrecords.com
For further information please contact:
Kathryn Marshall (Divine Art) – Kathryn@divineartrecords.com
Elspeth Wyllie (performer) – 07878 411300
The Cross-Eyed Pianist 