THE COMPLETE WORKS OF STANFORD FOR PIANO SOLO
Following the success of the 3-CD album by Alberto Bologni and Christopher Howell of the complete works for violin and piano by Charles Villiers Stanford, a Sheva bestseller and glowingly reviewed in Gramophone, BBC Music, The Strad and MusicWeb International, Christopher Howell is now beginning a cycle of Stanford’s complete works for solo piano.
Starting in February 2015, Sheva Collection will be releasing the complete music for solo piano by CHARLES VILLIERS STANFORD in three 2-CD volumes. The series, which should be complete by summer 2015, will include many first recordings and a number of unpublished works from both ends of Stanford’s career.
The pianist, CHRISTOPHER HOWELL, has already collaborated with the leading Italian violinist ALBERTO BOLOGNI in a 3-CD set of the complete works of Stanford for violin and piano (SH 100). This issue has been reviewed enthusiastically by Gramophone, The Strad, BBC Music and MusicWeb International and was Sheva Collection’s top seller for several consecutive months.
The first volume of the new project (SH 115) will contain, on its first CD, an early, unpublished cycle of 6 Waltzes, contrasted with the wryly ironic late 3 Waltzes op.178. These are followed by the 6 Characteristic Pieces op.132, perhaps Stanford’s best known piano album, and the ambitious 5 Caprices op.136. The second CD of this volume will take a look at some of Stanford’s educational pieces – the two sets of 6 Sketches, the 3 Fancies and the 5 Irish Folk Songs. The volume will conclude with the 24 Preludes op.163, the first cycle of 24 preludes in all the keys ever written by a British composer.
Christopher Howell has already recorded a selection of Stanford’s piano music for Sheva Collection, LAND OF SUNSET GLORIES (SH019). This is still available, but all the recordings in this complete cycle will be new ones.
The pianist, CHRISTOPHER HOWELL, has already collaborated with the leading Italian violinist ALBERTO BOLOGNI in a 3-CD set of the complete works of Stanford for violin and piano (SH 100). This issue has been reviewed enthusiastically by Gramophone, The Strad, BBC Music and MusicWeb International and was Sheva Collection’s top seller for several consecutive months.
The first volume of the new project (SH 115) will contain, on its first CD, an early, unpublished cycle of 6 Waltzes, contrasted with the wryly ironic late 3 Waltzes op.178. These are followed by the 6 Characteristic Pieces op.132, perhaps Stanford’s best known piano album, and the ambitious 5 Caprices op.136. The second CD of this volume will take a look at some of Stanford’s educational pieces – the two sets of 6 Sketches, the 3 Fancies and the 5 Irish Folk Songs. The volume will conclude with the 24 Preludes op.163, the first cycle of 24 preludes in all the keys ever written by a British composer.
Christopher Howell has already recorded a selection of Stanford’s piano music for Sheva Collection, LAND OF SUNSET GLORIES (SH019). This is still available, but all the recordings in this complete cycle will be new ones.
