Piano Concerto No 3 in G minor (Fantasia) Op 23
Piano Concerto No 4 in A minor Op 88

Hyperion’s virtually single-handed rehabilitation of the music of York Bowen (known in his time as ‘The English Rachmaninov’), continues apace with this recording of the third and fourth piano concertos. Piano Concerto No 3 is a vigorous one-movement work with three well-defined sections of varying tempos in Fantasia style. Bowen’s sparkling performances of it drew plaudits from contemporary critics, who hailed it as his best composition thus far.

The Piano Concerto No 4 (said by Sorabji to be the greatest work for piano and orchestra ever written by an Englishman) is a large-scale Romantic, virtuoso work, impressionistic solo passages alternating freely with Straussian orchestral textures throughout. It was written for a BBC broadcast, and for the composer himself to perform; Bowen considered the work his best composition for the piano and an important addition to the concerto literature. It has not been given a studio recording until now.

The young British pianist Danny Driver, a Bowen specialist, gives a virtuoso performance with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Martyn Brabbins.



GRAMOPHONE RECOMMENDS

'Soloist Danny Driver emerges as the virtuoso hero of the hour' (Classic FM Magazine)

'The Third Concerto, with its surging climaxes and soaring themes, offers 17 minutes of instant gratification … [Fourth Concerto] The writing veers between magical impressionism and passionate bravura outbursts couched in Straussian orchestral textures. Thrilling stuff. Driver, again, is firmly in the spotlight. This is his first recording for Hyperion. I look forward to many more' (Gramophone)

'Danny Driver's pianism is fully and eagerly up to Bowen's considerable demands' (BBC Music Magazine)

'This disc is the latest and arguably the most impressive so far in the continuing resuscitation of the music of London-born composer-pianist York Bowen (1884-1961). These two concertos sound more Continental than English, with the single-movement Third (1908) betraying the influence of Saint-Saëns and the more substantial Fourth (1937) having a Debussy-meets-Strauss late-Romantic palette. Both, though, have enough scintillating character of their own to reward repeated listening, while Danny Driver's performances are masterly, stylish and full of dazzling pianism' (Daily Telegraph)

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Recording details: August 2007; City Halls, Candleriggs, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Produced by Andrew Keener; Engineered by Simon Eadon; Release date: November 2008;