Harold Truscott (1914–92) enjoyed a reputation as one of Britain’s most perceptive writers on music, a doughty champion of many neglected composers who have now become familiar figures.

Truscott himself was a composer of some stature, writing in an individual style that is rooted in Beethoven and Schubert but also absorbs the influences of Nielsen, Medtner and Hindemith.

This is the first CD in a series which will present his substantial corpus of piano music.

This year sees the centenary of Truscott’s birth – and the release of this CD is the only event marking this important date.

Ian Hobson, pianist and conductor, began his international career in 1981 when he won First Prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition. He is in increasing demand as a conductor, particularly for performances in which he doubles as a pianist. He made his debut in this capacity in 1996 with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, and also performs extensively as pianist-conductor with Sinfonia da Camara, a group he formed in 1984 an which quickly gained international recognition through its recordings. Ian Hobson appears on a number of other Toccata Classics recordings as pianist.