British Piano Music Society
Welcome to the British Piano Music Society. The aim of this Dutch based society is very simple, we are here to promote all concerts, recordings, masterclasses and articles concerning ‘classical’ piano music from the United Kingdom. The great piano works of the English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish composers are reasonably well known within the UK itself, but are seldom heard in concert halls abroad. The intention of the BPMS is to bring this extraordinary repertoire to a wider public. We will be organising recordings and concerts around this wonderful music and our first CD is now available on the Dutch recording label Etcetera. Due to the current situation with the Covid19 pandemic we have to delay the recording of our second CD. We were scheduled to record in the third week of January, but due to lock-down, waiting for vaccines etc we are now hoping to record at the end of April 2021 and release in July 2021. If possible the third CD will resume our schedule for recording in January 2022. The second CD include music from Arnold Bax and William Baines and the third CD music from Howard Ferguson and York Bowen.
There is a wealth of wonderful piano music, that has stemmed from a wide variety of talented British composers, some more recognised than others, but all equally important in the world of great piano works. Among the composers we will be representing are, Frank Bridge, Arnold Bax, Gerald Finzi, York Bowen, Benjamin Britten, William Baines, Ethel Smythe, Cyril Scott, John Ireland, Howard Ferguson and many, many others.
Our first CD!
The first CD to be produced by the BPMS is a recording of the Piano Sonata from Frank Bridge, written in 1921-1924. The CD also includes a number of shorter pieces, including the famous ‘Lament.’ The pianist is Kelvin Grout, the creator of the BPMS. The recording engineer was Albert van Houwelingen from Quintone. The recording took place in the Jurriaanse Zaal in the Concert en Congresgebouw de Doelen in Rotterdam in January 2020. Production and distribution is undertaken by recording company, Etcetera.
Our second recording has been delayed due to the current Covid Pandemic! This recording will consist of the, Piano Sonata 3 from Arnold Bax and pieces from William Baines. Recording will take place in April 2021 and will be released in July 2021.
Lecture recitals around this music will be possible once the health risks and restrictions on public performances have been lifted. Should you wish to have more information on this, then please email us on the address below.
britishpianomusic@gmail.com
“I had little knowledge of the music of Frank Bridge beyond that of his fantastic songs. It was through the advice from my former professor of English song at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Michael Pilkington (to whom this CD is dedicated) that I started to explore this wonderful music. I quickly discovered the virtuosic and foreboding Piano Sonata, the only one he wrote. Bridge, a pacifist, lived through the turmoil of WW1, during which he lost many friends and colleagues. His sonata describes this conflict, between good and bad, right and evil so clearly, but for me it seems even more relevant to the state of affairs we now live in. It depicts the battle that is within us all, the human condition, if you will. We are all seeking something and life is the battleground. In this teaser you hear the climatic end of the battle followed by the calm, that is surely the peace within us all.” Kelvin Grout
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Our thanks go to the following people for their help and assistance in bringing this project to fruition.
Daan Manneke – Composer
Wilma Franchimon – Voorzitter College van Bestuur Codarts
Gertjan Endedijk – Directeur Stichting Nieuwe Veste, Breda
Thijs Bonger – Journalist and broadcaster
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The British Piano Music Society is a fully registered company in the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel).
KvK 77208072 – BTW NL003164267B94
Bank NL22ABNA 0870 2060 79 (BIC/SWIFT ABNANL2AAGS
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Etcetera www.etcetera-records.com
Quintone www.quintone.nl
Kelvin Grout www.kelvingrout.com