Ronald Stevenson: Piano Music, Volume Seven – Folksongs with Grainger
Percy Grainger (1882–1961) and Ronald Stevenson (1928–2015), both composer-pianists of the Golden Age of keyboard virtuosity, shared a passion for folksong, especially the modal Celtic melodies from the fringes of the British Isles. Though the two never met, they corresponded for many years, with Stevenson arranging many of Grainger’s transcriptions in a deliberate act of homage to the older man, whose quirky originality brought Stevenson illumination on his own idiosyncratic path. This seventh instalment in Christopher Guild’s Toccata Classics survey of Stevenson’s piano music uncorks the exultant good humour that he and Grainger found on that common Celtic ground.
Christopher Guild, piano
Marcel Zidani, piano
Listen To This Recording:
- Green Bushes (12:34)
Irish Folksong Suite
- I. The Mantle so Green (2:33)
- II. Luvlie Willie (3:30)
- III. Grá geal mo chroi (2:52)
- IV. Mary from Dungloe (3:38)
Two Chinese Folk Songs
- No. 1, Song for New Year’s Day (2:13)
- No. 2, Song of the Crab-fisher (2:12)
Manx Melodies
- ‘i. Mannin Veen’ (1:02)
- Variation on ‘Coolun’ (in late 18th century style) (1:48)
- The Poor Irish Boy (1:26)
- Skye Boat Song (arr. Stevenson) (1:38)
The Young Person’s Solo Album (arr. Stevenson)
- No. 1, Country Gardens (1:34)
- No. 2, Shepherd’s Hey (2:13)
- No. 3, Molly on the Shore (1:11)
- No. 4, Mock Morris (1:57)
- No. 5, Beautiful Fresh Flower (1:05)
- No. 6, Australian Up-Country Song (1:01)
- No. 7, Irish Tune from County Derry (1:29)
- No. 8, Walking Tune (1:26)
- No. 9, Hill-Song (1:40)
- No. 10, To a Nordic Princess (Bridal Song) (1:13)
- No. 11, One More Day, My John (1:43)
- No. 12, Spoon River (2:33)
- No. 13, Blithe Bells (4:11)
- No. 14, Children’s March “Over the Hills and Far Away” (0:58)
- No. 15, Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part (4:27)
- The Queen’s Maries (2:53)
- Jamboree for Grainger for two pianos (7:10)
First Recordings
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.