Saturday 24 October 2009

British Piano Sonatas: A Wish List Part 1

I note here a number of Piano Sonatas that have been composed by British composers, but are yet unrecorded (as far as I can tell). It seems unbelievable that there is such a rich vein of untapped Sonatas, some by well known composers and others by names that are barely known even by the ‘experts’. However, based on the pages of the Leo Livens Piano Sonata, that I was perusing the other day, there are certainly some treats in store, should enterprising concert agents and recording companies decide to explore these avenues. I give the composer and work without comments. Most of these works have been published whilst others remain in manuscript.

Ernest Austin: Sonata in B minor Op.31 No.2 [1907] Novello
William Baines: Sonata in F# minor Op.4 [1918] unpublished
Benjamin Burrows: Sonata [1934] F.W. Smith & Lewis
Lawrence Collinwood: Sonata No1 [1915] and Sonata No. 2 [1913] P Jurgensen
Duncan Edmonstoune: Sonata in D minor Op. 100 [1906] Vincent Music Co.
Harry Farjeon: Miniature Sonata in Bb Op.12 [1906] Augener and Sonata in E Op. 43 (1920) Ashdown
Edward German: Sonata [1884] Banks
William Hurlstone: Sonata in F minor [1894] unpublished
H.V. Jervis Read: Sonata [1925] Murdoch
Leo Livens: Sonata [1914 Anglo-French
R.O. Morgan: Prize Sonata [c 1908] Ashdown
Alec Rowley: Sonata No.1 [1939] Durand and Sonata No.2 in D [1949] Chester
William Wolstenholme: Sonata in Eb [c 1908]

4 comments:

Rick Masters said...

Just curious - do you own copies of these pieces? I'm looking to find some Edwardian/Victorian piano sonatas for potential performance, and I'm particularly interested in the Wolstenholme and Collingwood Sonatas.

John France said...

Alas no.

I may have the Leo Livens somewhere...

Unknown said...

The Livens is on Walter Cosand's website: waltercosand.com.

John France said...

Thanks for that...

John F