I’m excited to announce that I will be recording the (so far) complete works for solo piano by my good friend and colleague, Bernard Hughes. Covering a period of over 25 years, the album, which will be released on the Divine Art label, will feature pieces dating back to Bernard’s student years at Oxford, occasional pieces written for students and his children, and Bagatelles, of which I gave the first complete performances way back when we were both doctoral students. I am honoured that the most recent work is a brand new, specially-composed Suite, in which he deftly replaces traditional Baroque dance forms with an eclectic range of folk-inspired equivalents.
Bernard Hughes studied music at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford and Goldsmiths College, London. He received a PhD in composition from Royal Holloway, University of London and was then appointed as Composer-in-Residence at St. Pauls’ School. Bernard’s music has been performed around the world, and broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and across Europe. His latest commission, Birdchant, was premiered by the BBC Singers at the 2021 Proms; he has composed operas, choral, and vocal works, as well as piano music, to great acclaim. Recordings of his choral music were issued on Signum Classics in 2016, and in 2022 on Delphian Records. You can find out more about him and his music here.
Complete track listing
- Bagatelles
- Beginner’s Guide to Boiling a Nourishing Egg
- Cradle Song
- Miniatures
- O du liebe meine liebe
- Song of the Walnut
- Song of the Button
- Strettos and Striations
- Suite (in 7 movements)
- Three Studies
