Melba presents world premiere recordings of forgotten piano works by the Australian-born composer George Frederick Boyle (1886-1948), a virtuoso protégé of Busoni, who in his time was recognised as one of the great piano soloists. The musical cascades emanating from illustrious Australian pianist Timothy Young’s keyboard offer insights into the immense technical capability, the aesthetic and the personality of Boyle.
The disc features three works, all of which were written in the 1920s after Boyle had moved to the United States. Ballade, dedicated to the great virtuoso Leopold Godowsky, is one of Boyle’s most effective solo piano pieces, a powerful statement in the great romantic keyboard tradition - and a great introduction to his rapturous style.
Boyle’s epic Sonata for Piano is his largest scale solo piano work. All the characteristics of his composition, the outpouring of melodic invention, his improvisatory approach to form and the restless romantic spirit bursting from the keyboard, are evident in abundance. Five Piano Pieces are sparkling and innocent miniatures in a vein to delight rather than amaze.
Each piece is an exquisite example of musical picture painting, dedicated to one of his close friends.
‘The Virtuoso Piano Music of George Frederick Boyle’ is Timothy Young’s debut solo CD on Melba Recordings. Young is highly respected as a collaborative musician and has previously appeared on Melba with violinist Ray Chen (Stravinsky, MR301128), viola player Roger Benedict (Volupté, MR301126), soprano Cheryl Barker (Pure Diva, MR301129) and Ensemble Liason, of which he is a founding member (Zemlinsky & Messiaen, MR301132).
