New Piano Albums from Composer Eric Craven

In 2020 Divine Art’s Métier label will release two volumes of ‘Pieces for Pianists’ by Manchester composer Eric Craven, performed by Mary Dullea. Volume 1 is likely to be issued in the early summer with Volume 2 following in the autumn. Each volume contains 25 Pieces, which were composed between 2016 and 2019.

If Craven is to be defined by anything it will be his pioneering development of his Non-Prescriptive methods of composing. He has evolved new ways of notation which, to differing degrees, encourage the performer to become part of the compositional process. His contribution to the field of experimental music has been widely recognised. In the September 2015 issue of Gramophone, Philip Clark gives more than equal consideration to Craven in an article which discusses new ways and innovations by Wolff, Feldman and Finnissy.

Craven presents the two volumes of Pieces for Pianists in his Non-Prescriptive Low-order format which means that there are no instructions, no guidance à propos performance. The performer is free to decide upon the parameters of dynamics, tempo, phrasing, pedalling and the general articulation of the notes and, by doing so, determines the outcome of each performance. The pieces are all quite short, monothematic and tonal, teeming with reference. They present an astonishing kaleidoscope of styles and genre: echoes of Prokofiev to Poulenc, Bernstein to Bartók.

Pieces for Pianists is Craven’s fourth collaboration with the wonderfully talented pianist Mary Dullea, who will be recording both volumes in December at the Menuhin Hall in Cobham, Surrey, with Adaq Khan, now established as one of Britain’s most accomplished producer/engineers.

Previous albums featuring Eric Craven and Mary Dullea