CD 1:
Mendelssohn:
Song without words in A flat, Op. 38/6 - Duetto
Song without words in A, Op. 62/6 - Spring Song

Chopin:
Étude in A flat, Op. 25/1
Waltz in F, Op. 34/3
Berceuse in D flat, Op. 57
Ballade No. 3 in A flat, Op. 47

Schumann:
Romanze in F sharp, Op. 28/2

Liszt:
Liebesträume No. 3, S141/3
La campanella, S141/3
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12

Schubert/Liszt:
‘Hark, Hark the Lark’, S558/9

Schubert/Tausig:
Marche militaire in D, D733/1

Brahms:
Waltz in A flat, Op. 39/15

Paderewski:
Minuet in G, Op. 14/1

Grieg:
Norwegian Bridal Procession, Op. 19/2

Sibelius:
Valse triste

Rachmaninov:
Prelude in C sharp minor, Op. 3/2
Prelude in G minor, Op. 23/5
Prelude in G sharp minor, Op. 32/12
Prelude in C sharp minor, Op. 3/2

CD 2:
Beethoven:
Sonata in C minor, Op. 13, ‘Pathétique’
Sonata in F minor, Op. 57, ‘Appassionata’

Bach/Busoni:
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645

Debussy:
Les collines d’Anacapri
Bruyeres
Minstrels

Albeniz:
El puerto (Iberia Book 1, No 2)

Falla:
Piezas espanolas - No. 2, Cubana & No. 4, Andaluza

Daily Express National Piano Playing Competition test pieces:
Adam Carse:
Miniature Scherzo

Richard Walthew:
Sun and Shade

Thomas Dunhill:
Dew Fairies

Ernest Markham Lee:
Legend

Orlando Morgan:
Le bal poudre

Alec Rowley:
The Rambling Sailor

Felix Swinstead:
Serenata

George Dyson:
Primrose Mount

York Bowen:
Reverie, Op. 86

John Ireland:
Rondo from Sonatina

Australian pianist William Murdoch is almost forgotten today but was a major UK Columbia recording artist in the 1920s. A consummate musician, he was known as a chamber player as much as a soloist, as evidenced by many recordings, but was also the first pianist to record Beethoven’s 3rd piano concerto (acoustically in 1925). Amongst his solo recordings, pride of place must go to the two Beethoven sonatas which burst with energy and passion while never descending into superficiality.

A little known and fascinating part of his legacy is his recording of the eight test pieces written for the National Piano Competition of 1928 organised by the Daily Express. This unique event was open to pianists of all abilities from beginner to advanced and the specially commissioned pieces, by contemporary British composers, reflected these different levels. Murdoch’s recordings originally came with spoken commentaries on interpretation.

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Recordings: 1925-1931