George Lloyd: The Works for Violin & Piano

"For this reissue, Lyrita adds a first recording of Seven Extracts from the Opera ‘The Serf’ arranged by the composer. It was made in the Concert Hall, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth by Ruth Rogers (violin) and Simon Callaghan (piano). These broadly conceived extracts are compressed character pieces, in effect. He wrote two large orchestral suites derived from ‘The Serf’ in 1997 but back in 1974 had arranged these seven little pieces, full of virtuoso challenges, expressive laments, veiled warmth – Prokofiev hints along the way – and rippling refinement. This recycled music proved practical for Lloyd, as ‘The Serf’ didn’t enjoy many performances because it was – in part – prohibitively expensive to stage. Lloyd meanwhile thought it contained some of his best music. It’s finely played here, though the concert hall recording is a touch ‘wide’ for my own tastes.

Paul Conway’s notes are excellent, as ever."Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International