BOWEN : Concerto No. 3 (Fantasia), Op. 23 • Concerto No. 4 Op. 88 (Danny Driver · BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra · Martyn Brabbins) (2008) Serie The Romantic Piano Concerto – 46 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

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. Hyperion

York Bowen (1884-1961)
Piano Concerto No 3 In G Minor (Fantasia) Op 23    (17:47)

Piano Concerto No 4 In A Minor Op 88    (42:53)

Credits :
Conductor – Martyn Brabbins
Leader – Elizabeth Layton
Orchestra – BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Piano – Danny Driver

BEACH : Piano Concerto, Op. 45 ♦ CHAMINADE : Concertstück In C Sharp Minor, Op. 40 ♦ HOWELL : Piano Concerto In D Minor (Danny Driver · BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra · Rebecca Miller) (2017) Serie The Romantic Piano Concerto – 70 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series reaches its 70th album with this program of three concertos by women. The ongoing success of the series suggests that audiences are ready and waiting for wider repertoire, and pianist Danny Driver and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Rebecca Miller deliver a real find here. The Piano Concerto in C sharp minor, Op. 45, of American composer Amy Beach has been performed and recorded, but it's been in search of a recording that captures the autobiographical quality of the work, well sketched out in the booklet notes by Nigel Simeone. Essentially, Beach faced creative repression from her religious mother and to a lesser extent from her husband, who allowed her to compose, but only rarely to perform. These experiences, it may be said, poured out in this towering Brahmsian, four-movement piano concerto, which sets up an unusual quality of struggle between soloists and orchestra. It's this dynamic that's so well captured by Driver and Miller (who happen to be married to each other). Sample the opening movement, which has lacked this quality in earlier performances. Also worthwhile is the Concertstück in C sharp minor, Op. 40, of French composer Cécile Chaminade, now rarely represented on programs, but at one time so popular in the U.S. that there were more than 200 Chaminade Clubs there. Driver also gets the light, zippy quality of this work, which endeared Chaminade to audiences, if not to critics, for many years. The opening Piano Concerto in D minor of Britain's Dorothy Howell is less obviously in need of revival, but this recording is worth the time and money for the Beach performance alone. James Manheim  
Tracklist :
Piano Concerto In D Minor (19:33)
Composed By – Dorothy Howell

Piano Concerto In C Sharp Minor Op 45 (34:51)
Composed By – Amy Beach

Concertstück In C Sharp Minor Op 40 (15:07)
Composed By – Cécile Chaminade

Credits :
Conductor – Rebecca Miller
Leader [Of Orchestra] – Laura Samuel
Orchestra – BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Piano – Danny Driver