He reputation of the Anglo-Scottish composer William Wordsworth (1908-88), great-great-grandnephew of the poet, has recently been restored by a series of Toccata Classics albums of his orchestral music. His piano music, too, was poorly known before now, none of it recorded since a handful of pieces appeared on LP 60 years ago - though his epic Piano Sonata is a work of major importance. This first ever complete recording reveals an honest, unfussy approach to the keyboard akin to that of two other major symphonists, Sibelius and Rubbra: like them, Wordsworth's primary concern seems to have been the expression of deep feeling - which makes the gentle story-telling of his miniatures for children all the more surprising.
3 III. Allegro Molto - Poco Adagio - Tempo I [07:30]
4 No. 1. Prelude [04:40]
5 No. 2. Scherzo [02:04]
6 No. 3. Rhapsody [03:51]
7 I. Prelude [04:35]
8 II. Scherzo [01:34]
9 III. Nocturne [04:58]
10 IV. Fughetta [02:11]
11 Ballade, Op. 41 [07:55]
12 A Tale from Long Ago [01:48]
13 March of the Giants [01:16]
14 Ding Dong Bell [01:19]
15 Snowflakes [01:38]
16 Fireside Story [02:28]
17 Bedtime (Six O'Clock) [01:13]
18 Bedtime Story [01:25]
19 Hornpipe [01:03]
20 Valediction, Op. 82 [10:00
He reputation of the Anglo-Scottish composer William Wordsworth (1908-88), great-great-grandnephew of the poet, has recently been restored by a series of Toccata Classics albums of his orchestral music. His piano music, too, was poorly known before now, none of it recorded since a handful of pieces appeared on LP 60 years ago - though his epic Piano Sonata is a work of major importance. This first ever complete recording reveals an honest, unfussy approach to the keyboard akin to that of two other major symphonists, Sibelius and Rubbra: like them, Wordsworth's primary concern seems to have been the expression of deep feeling - which makes the gentle story-telling of his miniatures for children all the more surprising.
