EDWARD ELGAR (1857-1934): Symphony No. 1 in A Flat, Op. 55 (trancr. Sigfrid Karg-Elert [1877-1933]), ALAN BUSH (1900-1995): Piano Sonata in B Minor, Op. 2.

Description: Elgar's publisher, Novello, commissioned this transcription from Karg-Elert in response to customer demand after the symphony had its successful premiere in 1908. It may be one of the most unpianistic transcriptions of an orchestral work on disc, full of all kinds of uncomfortable work and technical demands for the pianist (Karg-Elert started out with it as a two-piano version) and Bebbington provides severalpages of text with musical examples to shed light on what is a remarkable undertaking by the German organist/composer. Bush's short (11:47), single-movement sonata from 1921 had not been performed in 80 years when Bebbington played it in 2006. Two powerfully expressive outer sections enfold a reflective and lyrical center in a work which shows the young Bush receptive to many of the contemporary currents in new (tonal) music. Mark Bebbington (piano).