York Bowen (1884-1961)
Portraits of Bowen
24 Preludes in all major and minor keys, Op. 102 (1938)
Rêverie, Op. 86
Zazra
Nocturne from Miniature Suite, Op. 14
Nuron Mukumi (piano)
rec. 2024, Teldex Studio, Berlin
Prospero PROSP0106 [70]

I’ve heard a substantial amount of York Bowen’s music and, several years ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing his string quartets, which I found very enjoyable indeed. What I have found in listening to the composer’s music is that it’s direct, speaks to the heart, is well-crafted, colourfully attractive and inviting. Saint-Saëns thought very highly of Bowen and described him as ‘the most remarkable of the young British composers’. Largely active before the war, it took many years for his music to establish itself and a label to champion. Dutton came to the rescue and have helped promote his cause with several excellent releases.

The focus of this newly released album is the 24 Preludes in all major and minor keys, Op. 102. They were composed around 1938, but not published until 1950. They’ve been recorded several times. Christina Ortiz recorded them on the Grand Piano label (GP637). This disc was released in 2014. Stephen Hough set down a selection of them for Hyperion, together with some other piano music, and this CD was reviewed by my colleague Rob Barnett as far back as 1999. Joop Celis has completed a cycle of the composer’s piano music over 4 CDs for Chandos. For me, personally, this is the first time I’ve encountered the preludes, but I was interested to read in the booklet notes that once the pianist Nuron Mukumi discovered them  he was hooked, and it’s hardly surprising.

Bowen took as his model J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier when composing his 24 Preludes in all major and minor keys, but he wasn’t the first to follow in these distinguished footsteps. Chopin, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, Scriabin and Hindemith had likewise tread this illustrious path. Bowen’s preludes each has its own individual character and harmonic language, and the group is unified by a personal idiom. The composer himself was a piano virtuoso and the technical challenges in many of the preludes are very much in evidence, some exceptionally so as in Nos, 4, 5, 12, 15, 18, 20 and 22. Nos 3 and 7 are two of my favorites, being enveloped in a radiant impressionistic glow. Bowen offers the listener some soothing balm and a time for reflection in No. 13. No. 14 which follows has been likened to Bartók’s Allegro barbaro or the Prokofiev Toccata for its motoric drive.

Three short pieces conclude the disc. Rêverie, Op. 86 is a gloriously lush, impressionistic score. Zazra has a dance-like rhythm and is sunny in character. The final piece is a Nocturne, which I found the least interesting of the three.

I must commend Nuron Mukumi for his commitment and glowing performances of this outstandingly fine music. He’s been recorded in the best possible sound. This attractive and enjoyable disc serves York Bowen’s piano music very well indeed.

Stephen Greenbank

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