Danny Driver; Martyn Brabbins: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra - Bowen: Piano Concertos

Hyperion�s virtually single-handed rehabilitation of the music of York Bowen (known in his time as �The English Rachmaninov�), continues apace with this recording of the third and fourth piano concertos. Piano Concerto No 3 is a vigorous one-movement work with three well-defined sections of varying tempos in Fantasia style. Bowen�s sparkling performances of it drew plaudits from contemporary critics, who hailed it as his best composition thus far.The Piano Concerto No 4 (said by Sorabji to be the greatest work for piano and orchestra ever written by an Englishman) is a large-scale Romantic, virtuoso work, impressionistic solo passages alternating freely with Straussian orchestral textures throughout. It was written for a BBC broadcast, and for the composer himself to perform; Bowen considered the work his best composition for the piano and an important addition to the concerto literature. It has not been given a studio recording until now.The young British pianist Danny Driver, a Bowen specialist, gives a virtuoso performance with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Martyn Brabbins.