Algernon Ashton Piano Sonatas vol.1

[sussexbear]

and there was I thinking I was the only person interested in Ashton... I managed to find the music for the Bb, G maj and D min sonatas - great stuff if not a little beyond me though the slow movements are not too hard. Any suggestions where the sheet music for the rest of his works may be available? drawn a blank on amazon so it may be back to trawling the second hand book shops!

[Peter1953]

Well, the (excellent) booklet notes by the pianist-professor Leslie De’Ath says "Ashton’s many unpublished works, as well as the diaries, appear to have been lost in a disastrous air raid and resultant fire at his family home in December 1940."

[Gareth Vaughan]

Most, if not all, of Ashton's published music is in the BL, with duplicates in some of the other major libraries (e.g. Cambridge University, RAM, etc.)
Since this includes a great deal of piano music besides the sonatas, I am supporting Martin Anderson's "Complete Piano Music" project and have bought the Toccata release, which I can report is outstanding.
There is also a quantity of chamber music by Ashton in the BL, which I am sure would repay investigating.

[giles.enders]

I have had this cd for about a month and don't find it either memorable or spellbinding, it is inparts pianistically complex but that doesn't make it of any great value. In my opinion it is just a curiosity which I am pleased to have heard.

Although Ashton died before the 1939-45 started, most of his scores were still in his house which was bombed and it is thought that is how they came to be lost.

[Peter1953]

Remarkable, Giles, how we differ in opinion. The more I listen to Ashton’s sonatas, the more I’m impressed.
I think it’s also a coincidence that almost at the same time this year two labels (Toccata and Dutton) release a Vol. 1 of Ashton’s piano music, although Martin recorded Ashton a year earlier. Anyway, I’m looking forward to the release of Vol. 2.

[giles.enders]

The greater coincidence is that they have languished for sixty years untouched. It will be interesting to see how they sell and what they do for Ashton.

[Pengelli]

The generous selection of audio samples,on the Toccatta website,sounds fantastic. Full of character. Allot of British piano music sounds a little anaemic to my ears,but this is full of strong themes which really draw you along. And yes,it does make me think of Bach,for some reason. Just imagine Glenn Gould playing this! (Since he's dead,that's all you can do).

[Pengelli]

'Toccata',sorry.

[Pengelli]

Ordered the Dutton from hmv,£7.99.post free. My punishment,I'll have to wait 14-17 days,for the saving. But,hopefully less. I ordered the Holbrooke direct from Dutton,but for economic reasons,I'm afraid I have a strict budget for cd's. But this one sounds so good I just had to get it,somehow,even if it's through the 'big boys'! Incidentally,how much difference does ordering direct from the actual record label mean,for them,financially?
I do try to do this,when I can,but sometimes the budget just doesn't allow it.

[sussexbear]

just listened to the excerpts of the d minor sonata by Daniel Grimwood  - sounds good though he plays the second movement too fast - the score gives a speed of quaver = 40 and i reckon he is around quaver = 65  picky picky , i know and in reality I am just glad to have a recording!

[Pengelli]

The 'Toccata' website sample is a kind of compilation of the contents of the Ashton cd. Unlike allot of samples of it's kind.it's on a kind of 'loop',which plays through the snippets over & over again,until you stop it or leave the page!
I do feel a bit guilty about 'using' Toccata's website for this purpose & then buying the rival cd.
So,if the Toccata release gets  good reviews,and I'm sure it will, I think I will buy it,anyway,later on in the year. Anyway,in rare repertoire like this a different interpretation is always very useful.  Off topic a bit,I know,& apologise for this,but I remember buying the early French 3D Classics cd of Marie-Catherine Giraud playing York Bowen's complete 'preludes',and later on hearing Hough's performance  on the Hyperion cd & hating it. (Giraud seemed so poised & aristocratic,Hough's approach seemed far too rushed. But then again,who am I to criticise?).

[Pengelli]

Fair play to HMV. I just got an email from them,now. Apparently,my £7.99,post free,two for the price of one Dutton cd set of the Algernon Ashton sonata's is 'on the way'. (Please note I have no connection with HMV UK,whatsoever!!!) That's pretty quick for a 'special order'.

[Pengelli]

The Dutton Ashton set arrived today,so  the order from hmv took around 9 days, between placing the order, and the cd's being dropped through my letterbox.
Impressions so far. Lovely,melodious music,and very relaxing too!

[giles.enders]

I am wondering what has happened to volume 2 of Algernon Ashton's piano sonatas.. Neither Dutton nor Toccata seem to have issued theirs though both expressed intentions to do so.