The Scottish Romantics
Most of the piano works of McCunn (whose operas are being rediscovered), McEwen, and Mackenzie, who is acknowledged to be one of Elgar’s main influences, are on this disc, all for the first time. Pieces ranging in mood from Chopin to Debussy via Liszt, and all with an unmistakeable Scottish lilt. Voted one of the best CDs of 1996 by “Scotland’s Music”
Track Listing
-
Hamish MacCunn:
- Six Scotch Dances − I. Welcome Dance (2:47)
- Six Scotch Dances − II. Kerchief Dance (3:42)
- Six Scotch Dances − III. Gillie's Dance (1:49)
- Six Scotch Dances − IV. Dirk Dance (1:49)
- Six Scotch Dances − V. Plaid Dance (3:12)
- Six Scotch Dances − VI. Farewell Dance (2:06)
- Valse (3:29) John B. McEwen:
- Four Sketches for Pianoforte − I. Prelude (2:38)
- Four Sketches for Pianoforte − II. Quasi Minuetto (0:56)
- Four Sketches for Pianoforte − III. Elegy (2:26)
- Four Sketches for Pianoforte − IV. Humoreske (2:10)
- Sonatina for Pianoforte − I. Allegro con moto (2:57)
- Sonatina for Pianoforte − II. Andante semplice (1:30)
- Sonatina for Pianoforte − III. Scherzo-finale (1:27)
- Three Keats Preludes − I. A white Naiad (1:18)
- Three Keats Preludes − II. A rapt Seraph (2:26)
- Three Keats Preludes − III. The Dew by Fairy Feet (0:42)
- On Southern Hills − I. White Oxen (4:02)
- On Southern Hills − II. Drifting Clouds (2:19)
- On Southern Hills − III. L'Improvisadou (7:20)
- Five Vignettes from La Cote d'Argent − I. Petite Cherie (1:12)
- Five Vignettes from La Cote d'Argent − II. Les Hirondelles (0:28)
- Five Vignettes from La Cote d'Argent − III. Pantalon Rouge (1:34)
- Five Vignettes from La Cote d'Argent − IV. Crepuscule du Soir Mystique (1:51)
- Five Vignettes from La Cote d'Argent − V. La Rosiere (1:15) Alexander Mackenzie:
- Odds and Ends, Book One − I. Refrain (1:56)
- Odds and Ends, Book One − II. High Spirits (1:39)
- Chasse aux Papillons (1:24)
- Trois Morceaux − I. Valse Serieux (2:12)
- Trois Morceaux − II. Nocturne (4:58)
- Trois Morceaux − III. Ballade (4:31)
- Harvest Home (2:04)
Reviews
“an enterprising collection… excellently played by Murray McLachlan and well recorded – ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (outstanding)
”
“I do not recommend that this interesting anthology be heard at one sitting. Nor should listeners expect 78 minutes of music that sounds Scottish. Only MacCunn’s Six Scotch Dances, which are hugely enjoyable, robust and extremely well written for the piano have a Scotch flavour. These are not anaemic transcriptions but original pieces which may […]
” —David Wright
“The short-lived Hamish McCunn offers perhaps the sweetest music here; his Six Scotch Dances are folk music as it was imagined in the Victorian drawing room, all idealized jollity and gather-we-round-the-fire stuff, but for his Valse the boots have been replaced by elegant evening wear. The music of Sir Alexander Mackenzie is indebted to some […]
” —Martin Anderson
