Newly published in Autumn 2004, a collection of nine compositions for piano in an album specifically devoted to the LEFT HAND.
Nine contemporary composers rose to the publisher's brief and
produced nine completely individual pieces (all of differing levels of
difficulty)
ranging from the radiant simplicity of ROGER ENO's art to a
virtuosic number from FRANCIS POTT, who jokingly suggests
a player might give
his right arm to be able to play it!
A further novelty in the typically novel
FAND production is a
transcription for LEFT HAND by RONALD STEVENSON of his daughter,
SAVOURNA STEVENSON's 'LAMENT FOR A BLIND HARPER'.
All nine composers were thoroughly stimulated by the new
discipline of LEFT HAND writing - many of them considering it was like writing
for
'a completely different instrument' to the two-handed variety.
The publishers feel that players will be equally stimulated
and of course two-handed players can always cheat in the end
if any piece does
prove too taxing for the LEFT HAND alone!
The composers who contributed are:
. MARTIN READ . FRANCIS POTT . FRANK BAYFORD
. JOHN MITCHELL .
. SAVOURNA STEVENSON . PETER THOMPSON . GARY
HIGGINSON . ANDREW NEWTON . ROGER ENO .
THE FAND LEFT-HAND PIANO ALBUM
(almost worth buying for the cover alone!)
can be found in our catalogue (FM132) priced at £11.45 (plus p&p),
and can be ordered using our Order Form.
REVIEWS
Philip Mead
(in International Piano, 3 May 2005) writes:
"Piano music for left
hand alone has provided some fine works, notably by Scriabin and Ravel. This
album, subtitled Contemporary Pieces for the Left Hand alone, continues
the honourable tradition, and is an attractive collection of short pieces with,
in most cases, helpful introductions by their composers. Fand Music Press has
established a unique and commendable position in keeping before us the British
pastoral tradition, both with its earlier 20th-century masters and their later
imitators. Lament for a Blind Harper by Savourna Stevenson, originally
for harp and transcribed by her father Ronald Stevenson, is masterly both for
its simplicity and the elegance of the chordal distribution which entails the
thumb taking most of the cantabile line. Theydon Bois by Frank
Bayford was originally composed for right hand alone, but it seems to suit the
left hand just as well. Peter Thompson's contribution, Waltz, has some
interesting and surprising turns of phrase within its heartfelt nostalgia. Above
all, in An Imaginary Journey by Martin Read, Links by Roger Eno, River
Fowey Lullaby by Andrew Newton and The Forgotten Temple by Gary
Higginson, the prevailing mood is nostalgic and captivating. Beautifully set and
painstakingly edited, this is a collection for pianists who wish to turn away
from the innovations of the twentieth century and linger in a past and largely
forgotten land."
Tom Scott (in
MUSO) writes:
"Sprained right hand,
anyone? The Left Hand Piano Album contains several works worthy of
further investigation. Martin Read's An Imaginary Journey encourages
creative thought for intermediate players. Harpist and composer Savourna
Stevenson's Lament for a Blind Harper is transcribed by noteworthy
composer and pianist Ronald Stevenson and reveals a delicate folk tune that is
extremely well written for left hand. More advanced pianists may want to try
Francis Pott's Is Art a Sin? and although Pott jokes that someone may not
'give their right arm' to play it, it is a virtuosic work underpinned by intense
drama."
Alec Boulton (in
Music Teacher, August 2005) writes:
"The Fand
Left-Hand Piano Album comprises ten short contemporary pieces for left-hand
alone. Useful composer's notes preface each piece. R. Eno writes: 'I write
left-handed music as it leaves my (other) "better" hand free to pursue
other tasks' - his Links is simple enough to allow him to mix cakes and
crochet. However, the large spread 10th and 13th chords of Lament for a Blind
Harper by S Stevenson, galumphing molto pesante of Clodhopper! by J
Mitchell, sensitive and thought-provoking An Imaginary Journey by M Read
or the dramatic and virtuosic Is Art a Sin by F Pott certainly require
more multi-tasking power. These highly individual pieces serve up a tasty treat
of originality for the left hand."
Margaret
Fingerhut (in Pianist) writes:
"... full of short yet
charmingly accessible works."
Liz Gibson (in
Piano Professional, January 2006) writes:
"Fand have produced a
most interesting Left-Hand Piano Album with ten pieces by contemporary
composers. Something about composing and playing with the LH seems to tap into
the right side of the brain in terms of creativity and humour: the witty
personal notes about most of the pieces made me laugh. They range from about
grades 4-8 and include Savourna Stevenson's lovely Lament for a Blind Harper,
arranged for piano by her father Ronald. It is a fascinating collection on its
own merits and will also be a useful resource for those sore right hand/arm
cases."