Programme

Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)

Humoresque Op. 6 No. 2 (Grieg)

This is the second of four pieces in Op. 6, composed in 1864/65 and is titled "Du fatter ei Bølgernes evige Gang" which translates as "You do not understand the eternal motion of the waves" or The Poet's Heart

Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)

Sonatine (Ravel)

i Modéré, ii Mouvement de menuet, iii Animé

Ravel wrote the first movement of the Sonatine for a competition sponsored by the Weekly Critical Review magazine after being encouraged by a close friend who was a contributor to that publication. The competition requirement was the composition of the first movement of a piano sonatina no longer than 75 bars, with the prize being 100 francs.

Edward Tait (2006-)

Cloches V (Tait)

The fifth and final piece in my suite Cloches was composed for a friend who could only the play with her right hand, so as a result, the piece is written for just the right hand. It’s built around a two rotating cycles of pitches, which are heard simultaneously, as the piece is built almost entirely out of trills and hand-crossing patterns, which allow multiple harmonic progressions to occur at once. The additional accents throughout help emphasise a lot of these harmonic changes, which is in fact a common feature throughout all five of the movements from the rest of the suite.

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)

Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 (Chopin)

The Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 is a ballade for solo piano by Frédéric Chopin. Completed in 1835, it is one of Chopin’s greatest and most popular works. The ballade dates to sketches Chopin made in 1831, during his eight-month stay in Vienna. It was completed in 1835 after his move to Paris, where he dedicated it to Baron Nathaniel von Stockhausen, the Hanoverian ambassador to France.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Intermezzo Op. 116 No. 6 (Brahms)

Part of the 7 Fantasies, Op. 116, composed in 1892 during Brahms's late creative period. It is an intimate, bittersweet character piece marked Andantino teneramente.

Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915)

Piano Sonata, Op. 30 No. 4 (Scriabin)

i Andante, ii Prestissimo volando

The Piano Sonata No. 4 in F♯ major was written by Alexander Scriabin around 1903. It is one of Scriabin's shortest piano sonatas.

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Herberge, Op. 82 No. 6 (Schumann)

"Herberge" (Wayside Inn or At the Inn) is the sixth movement of Robert Schumann's Waldszenen (Forest Scenes), Op. 82 composed in 1848-49

Performers

Edward Tait - Piano

Edward Tait is a British composer, pianist and organist, studying at the Royal Academy of Music, with Gareth Moorcraft, Louise Drewett and Nicholas Walker. He was named Beacon Young Musician of the Year in 2017 and later trained at the Purcell School of Music as a scholar of the UK Music and Dance Scheme, with Jacques Cohen and Lidia Amorelli. Upon graduation, he was awarded the Tim Stevenson Prize for his contribution to music at the school.

In 2024, he was invited to perform at the Purcell School’s Pulse Festival, in a programme of works by Shostakovich and other newly-commissioned works in response to his music. In January 2027, he will give his debut concerto performance playing Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Letchworth Sinfonia.

His compositions have been performed by ensembles including the London Sinfonietta, Carducci Quartet and Orion Orchestra. He won the BBC/NCEM Young Composer Award in 2026. He is founder and artistic director of the MetroLand Music Festival, where he has contributed significantly as a pianist, composer and organist.

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