ALEXANDER CAMPBELL MACKENZIE (1847-1935): Piano Quartet in E Flat, Op. 11, CHARLES VILLIERS STANFORD (1852-1924): Piano Quartet in F, Op. 15, HERBERT HOWELLS (1892-1983): Piano Quartet in A Minor, Op. 21, GORDON JACOB (1895-1984): Piano Quartet, FRANK BRIDGE (1879-1941): Phantasy Quartet for Violin, Cello and Piano, WILLIAM WALTON (1902-1983): Piano Quartet.

Description: World premiere recording of Mackenzie's quartet which, although published in 1873, was written a few years earlier. A full-length (34 minutes), four-movement work, this may have been the first British piano quartet and is influenced almost completely by Schumann and Mendelssohn. Stanford's 1879 quartet is full of youthful high spirits with a Brahmsian adagio that melts in your mouth. Bridge's early (1910) Phantasy also has the composer still embracing the late 19th century language of German Romanticism. Howells' dates from 1916 and its three movements, tinged in the outer ones with a folk-like melody of the composer's own creation, is in the English Pastoral tradition, with a hill in Gloucestershire as the pivot around which the work revolves. Walton's early (1918-21) piano quartet is under the influence of Howells and Ravel, with a Stravinskian rhythmic drive which was to become one of Walton's mature characteristics. Also a first recording is the only work here from a relatively recent date, Jacobs' 1969 quartet, a concise, three-movement work of 17 minutes which is as confirmedly romantic and approachable as the rest of his considerable œuvre (several good specimens of which appeared on Dutton Epoch last month). 2 CDs. Ames Piano Quartet.