George Lloyd: The Piano Concertos

George Lloyd: The Piano Concertos

SRCD.2421 (Lyrita, CD, 2 discs)

COMPILATION (23 April 2024)

Playing time: 73'49"/70'31" - TT 144'20"
Tracks: 8 + 7
Booklet pages: 16
℗ 1988 (Concerto No 4), 1989 (Concerto No 3) and 1991 (Concertos Nos 1 and 2) Lloyd Music Ltd
© 2024 Lyrita Recorded Edition
Main country of recording: United Kingdom
Reviewer: Geoff Pearce
Review of George Lloyd: The Piano Concertos published on 29 May 2024

Martin Roscoe, piano (CD1 tracks 1-5 and CD2 tracks 1-4)
Kathryn Stott, piano (CD1 tracks 6-8 and CD2 tracks 5-7)
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra (CD1 and CD2 tracks 1-4)
London Symphony Orchestra (CD2 tracks 5-7)
George Lloyd, conductor

George Lloyd (1913-1998):

CD1

'Scapegoat' (Piano Concerto No 1) (1963)
1 Lento enfatico - Largamente
2 - Agitato
3 - Scherzando
4 - Violente
5 - Molto lento

Piano Concerto No 3 (1968)
6 Furioso
7 Lento
8 Vivace

CD2

Piano Concerto No 2 (1964, orchestrated 1965)
1 Vivo - Moderato
2 - Vivo - Vivace
3 - Lento
4 - Piu vivo - Incalzando

Piano Concerto No 4 (1970)
5 Allegro
6 Larghetto
7 Vivace - Lento - Vivace

Lloyd's four piano concertos come from his time as a small holder at Ryewater in Dorset during the 1960s and 70s. 'Lloyd was already thinking of writing a piano concerto when he heard the playing of John Ogdon, at that time one of Britain's most promising and interesting younger pianists. Lloyd kept Ogdon's playing in mind as he wrote his single movement Piano Concerto No 1 Scapegoat in 1962/63 ... it has an improvisatory feel and ... jazz variations ... There are so many colours and shadings in the orchestral part that make it as important as the piano part. Lloyd intended to write a three-movement work, but the initial material worked itself into a single movement concerto. This remarkable work was first performed in October 1964 by John Ogdon with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Groves. This led to a friendship with Ogdon, with Lloyd helping the pianist with the orchestration of some of his own compositions.' © Bruce Reader, The Music of George Lloyd

Recorded 20-21 October 1990 (Concertos Nos 1 and 2) and 25-26 September 1988 (Concerto No 3) in Studio 7, New Broadcasting House, Manchester, UK and 9-10 February 1984 in Henry Wood Hall, London UK (Concerto No 4).