FINZI Eclogue for Piano and Strings Op 10

Eclogue for Piano and Strings. Originally planned as the slow movement of a never finished piano concerto. Similar the slow movements of Bach's Keyboard concerto and to the Ravel Piano Concerto in G. The melodic lines form a slow, elegant arch, underpinned with simple but fresh harmonies. E The Eclogue. composed in 1929, begun in 1927-8 and which he continued to work on until 1953. He twice revised it, but after the abandonment of the piano concerto was content to leave it a, a single movement. Nevertheless it was not performed in the composer's lifetime, and the title was given to it by Finzi's executors, his widow, eldest son. Christopher, and lifelong friend Howard Ferguson, It was first performed by Kathleen Long at a memorial concert to Finzi four months after his death; John Russell conducted, With its calm serenity, it is typical of the composer's slow movements. -[From the Naxos liner notes]

 

VIDEO: Piano - Willem Blois Violin I - Rosanna Burrill, Nelly Chen, Anna Wedlock Violin II - Jeff Komar, Hua-Chu Huang Viola - Warda Limaye, John Wiebe Cello - Benjamin Marmen, Lydia Hansen Double Bass - Adam Fine Recorded Live at The Music Room, Halifax, Nova Scotia March 14, 2012