Euan Moseley | Divine Art Recordings

Following Métier’s release at the beginning of 2023 of the Complete Piano Sonatas of Geoffrey Allen (5 CDs), the label is embarking on another major piano set for a relatively little known composer of great merit, namely Euan Moseley (b. 1943). The set will, like the Allen, be performed by Murray McLachlan with recording scheduled for February 2024. The composer, well known for his dry and acerbic humour, introduces himself and his album:

Euan Tyler Moseley, or “E. T.” lives near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, U.K. with his family, no chickens and no graffiti. His favourite pastime was rock climbing and watersports. After retiring from teaching, mostly geography and latterly music, he had a “proper go” in 2001 at writing some music. The result was “Piano Topography: 20 Topographs, recorded when crossing the musical surfaces of a distant land”. “P.T” is characterised by tripping melodies, urgent rhythms, pungent sonorities and exquisite tranquillity. A real treat. Each Topograph is akin to a bravura fantasy concert study. They are printed in 2 volumes. It was performed by the Hungarian virtuoso, Gusztáv Fenyö in the Conservatoire, Birmingham and in the Cadogan Hall, London, in 2006 and recorded on a double disc by Claudio Records (no longer available). It was probably the first major piano work of the 21st century and attracted critical acclaim from Vladimir Ashkenazy, John Lill C.B.E., Murray McLachlan, Kathryn Stott et al. Despite this, Moseley was not able to elicit interest from publishers or broadcasters.

Volumes followed for wind quintet, string quartet, flute (13 Escapades), clarinet (10 Impromptus, performed in October 2023, Newport, S.W. Wales), oboe, violin and songs with chamber accompaniment and Miditures for piano. During Covid restrictions, Unusuals, Waltzes & Waltzettes, River Scherzos, Rhapsodies, Toccata, Tokkatob, Prime Preludes, and Nocturnes were written.

Moseley’s music is deliberately not avant-garde (though tricky to play) and steers away from atonal music which rarely cheers up an audience.