William Alwyn - Piano Music Vol.2 (2007)

Perhaps the first thing to consider is whether it is right that these twelve preludes should be played as a cycle or whether they can be excerpted. We need only think of Rachmaninov or perhaps Scriabin to see that recitalists often pick a number of 'preludes' from the various sets these composers wrote. The same could be said of Bach and Chopin. It is, perhaps with the two sets written by Debussy that we may have to compare William Alwyn's works. Although not exclusively so, with the exception of one or two encore pieces such as the 'Girl with Flaxen Hair' concerts and CDs tend to present Book 1 or Book 2 in their entirety. I think that, although the Preludes by Alwyn are mostly individually self-sufficient, they are actually served best by being played together. Yet in some ways this is strange; there is no obvious thematic thread running through these pieces. In fact the very opposite is the case. Alwyn decided to use very short note groups as the basis of these pieces. These were closely related to key centres and all the preludes have an allocated key signature. Yet he invented a new note group for each of the dozen pieces. In spite of this diversity it is best to take these dozen preludes at a sitting. Each number is roughly two minutes long, the entire works lasting just under half an hour. Movements for Piano is quite a long piece, lasting some fifteen minutes and consisting of three contrasting yet strangely unified movements. It definitely marks an enlargement of his compositional style. This music is often disturbed and unsettled. It is quite introspective, as if the composer was off-loading much that had been going on in his life over the past three or so years. The work appears to lack day-light; in fact it largely consists of dark tones and shadowy hues. However, what is unique, is the balance that Alwyn generates between the abstract quality of this music and the extremely romantic feel that much of it generates. There is also equilibrium between the serial and seemingly tonal elements of this music that give it its complex feel.

Ashley Wass: piano

01. Twelve Preludes - N.1 in E flat (2:25)
02. Twelve Preludes - N.2 in A (2:06)
03. Twelve Preludes - N.3 in A (1:31)
04. Twelve Preludes - N.4 in F (1:30)
05. Twelve Preludes - N.5 in D (3:37)
06. Twelve Preludes - N.6 in G and F Sharp (2:47)
07. Twelve Preludes - N.7 in B (1:52)
08. Twelve Preludes - N.8 in E flat (1:26)
09. Twelve Preludes - N.9 in C (1:12)
10. Twelve Preludes - N.10 in D (2:02)
11. Twelve Preludes - N.11 in D flat (1:09)
12. Twelve Preludes - N.12 in D (2:39)
13. Hunter's Moon - Midsummer Magic. Allegretto e capriccioso (1:31)
14. Hunter's Moon - The Darkening Wood. Andante (1:54)
15. Hunter's Moon - Ride By Night. Allegro molto (0:53)
16. Two Irish Pieces - From The Countryside. Andante (2:20)
17. Two Irish Pieces - Paddy The Fiddler. Allegro giocoso (1:06)
18. Contes Barbares - Auti Te Pape. Woman At The River. Allegretto (2:26)
19. Contes Barbares - Le Vivo (Danse Tahitienne). Allegro moderato (1:44)
20. Contes Barbares - Manao Tupapau. She Dreams Of Returning. Andante tranquillo (2:03)
21. Contes Barbares - Dance Fragment. Allegro ma non troppo (0:55)
22. Contes Barbares - Nevermore. Slow and poignant (4:25)
23. Contes Barbares - Te Atua. The Gods. Allegro barbaro (2:31)
24. Contes Barbares - Mahna No Varua Ino. The Devil Speaks. Allegro (2:12)
25. Cinderella - Tempo di valse lento (2:46)
26. Water Lilies - Andante con moto e tranquillo (2:00)
27. Night Thoughts - Andante, thoughtful and expresive (3:45)
28. Movements - Allegro Appassionato - Allegro ma non troppo (6:20)
29. Movements - Evocation. Andante rubato (3:48)
30. Movements - The Devil's Reel. Allegro ritmico (reel time) (5:09)

FLAC Part1 –- FLAC Part2
MP3 Part1 –- MP3 Part2

all my uploads here