Classical album review: Frank Bridge

Published on Sunday 18 October 2009 12:19

CLASSICAL FRANK BRIDGE Piano Quintet, Three Idylls, String Quartet Hyperion CDA67726, £12.72

Frank Bridge's music was out of fashion even before his death in 1941, and took time to be rediscovered, despite the support of pupils such as Benjamin Britten. Yet he received high praise as a student from composer Sir Hubert Parry, his suite The Sea featured regularly in Proms concerts before the Second World War, and he was a highly regarded replacement conductor for Sir Thomas Beecham and Sir Henry Wood.

His music, much of it in a late Romantic mode, is imbued with a certain spikiness, but the attractiveness of his themes holds the attention. In this recording, Piers Lane demonstrates his usual interpretative skill in a Piano Quintet that verges on the symphonic. Under-recognised music, well worth hearing.

Download this: Piano Quintet, Allegro Energico

This article was first published in Scotland on Sunday on 18 October 2009