Impressions
Malcolm Halliday (piano)
Leo Sowerby's piano compositions span the composer's entire creative life. His very first composition, written in 1905 at the early age of ten, was a piece now lost entitled The Dawn of Day. His last important piece with piano is the Dialog for Organ and Piano, written within a year of the composer's death in 1968. Sowerby was a born pianist and in his early years he frequently performed his own music and the works of other composers as well. As he grew older, he appeared less frequently in public as a pianist and finally gave it up all together. The Organ became his primary instrument and he divided his time between composing, teaching and his work as a church musician. Dating from 1916 to 1929, the selections on this compact disc are products of the composer's youthful maturity. All these works were composed when Sowerby was in his twenties, except for the Florida Suite, which he composed when he was 34.
Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Three Folk-Tunes from Somerset, H. 113 | Leo Sowerby | Malcolm Halliday, piano |
| Florida Suite, H. 197 | Leo Sowerby | Malcolm Halliday, piano |
| From the Northland: Impressions of Lake Superior Country, H. 167 | Leo Sowerby | Malcolm Halliday, piano |
| Money Musk: A Country Dance Tune, H. 145A | Leo Sowerby | Malcolm Halliday, piano |
| Fisherman's Tune, H. 161 | Leo Sowerby | Malcolm Halliday, piano |
| The Irish Washerwoman: A Country Dance Tune, H. 115A | Leo Sowerby | Malcolm Halliday, piano |
| L'Amor di quei Due (The Two Lovers): A Milanese Popular Song, H. 168 | Leo Sowerby | Malcolm Halliday, piano |
Reviews
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"Composed between 1916 and 1929, these pieces are tuneful, charming, and extremely well-written for the piano. They manage to be delightful but not especially distinctive - no small achievement given the number of interchangeable neo-romantic pastiches we hear today.They are all played with zest and sensitivity by Malcolm Halliday. This is an enjoyable release of rare, highly accessible piano repertory."
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