The Cathedral Concert

This album brings together improvisational performances on two different instruments, from two very different settings. The first track, a solo piano concert, was recorded at Christ Church Cathedral, and has all the atmosphere of that remarkable space and the energy of a live audience. The style is more or less continuous with my other solo piano works, though perhaps a little grander, more triumphal.

The harpsichord performances were more of a departure for me – the instrument naturally calls for a very different touch, and I have quite specific musical associations with its unique sound, which informed and inspired what I have tried to do here. The great masters of the baroque, Bach and Scarlatti in particular, were famous for their improvisations as well as more structured compositions, and while I doubt I have done them justice, their timeless works are deeply etched on my musical mind. These more intimate performances were captured in the music room of my parents’ country home.