Ronald Stevenson Piano Concertos re-issued this week

Regis Records have re-issued the recording of Ronald Stevenson Piano Concertos 1 'Faust Triptych' and 2 'The Continents' on Forum FRC 9109 (available through www.regisrecords.co.uk). The disc was made in 1993 in BBC Manchester's Studio 7 with the Chetham's Symphony Orchestra under Julian Clayton and attracted positive reviews at the time. Concerto 1 was championed by John Ogdon in the 1960s, whilst no. 2 was a Prom Commission, premiered with the composer as soloist under Norman Del Mar. It uses a huge and exotic instrumentation! One of my earliest childhood memories is of watching a BBC TV documentary about this piece, during which Ronald Stevenson played his 'evocation of African Drumming' from the Passacaglia. For a young kid, it sounded unbelievably exciting (and for an adult, it still does too!).