Editions Musica Ferrum – Page 3

James Welburn: Reflections in Waltz

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Around this time last year I reviewed James Welburn’s Musical Escapades (you can read that review here), and was very positive about his original piano music, concluding:

“What impresses me most of all is the infectious good humour and the compelling imagination that runs throughout the whole collection…
James Welburn has with this collection made a stunning Editions Musica Ferrum debut; he is clearly a composer to watch, and among this publisher’s rich and growing catalogue, Musical Escapades becomes one of their best publications yet.”

Now Welburn is back with a new collection, once more published by Musica Ferrum. Reflections in Waltz offers seven new original pieces, again suited to players at late-intermediate level…

Nikolas Sideris: Personalities

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

While the best composers often write brilliant music in response to a commission or request, the creative impetus for composing will often arise from a specific moment of inspiration, musical or conceptual.

So it is with the latest scores from Nikolas Sideris, known to many not just for his own music, which includes Fairyland in Treble and Dusk of Day, Dawn of Night, but also for his Editions Musica Ferrum independent publishing house.

Due to a change in personal circumstance, Nikolas finds himself semi-moving from London to Amsterdam, and among other things this will mean that he will no longer be teaching his 18 students in one particular school. Having grown attached to them, Nikolas decided it a fitting gift to compose a piece dedicated to each of the students.

These personal gifts were no doubt enthusiastically welcomed by their dedicatees, but I think that they deserve a far wider appeal and use. Which brings us to “Personalities”, the two new solo piano collections containing these 18 pieces, now available from Musica Ferrum.

Alison Mathews: Landscapes

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Alison Mathews is a contemporary British composer whose delightful piano music has established itself as one of the highlights within the growing Editions Musica Ferrum catalogue.

I have previously given glowing reviews to her excellent Treasure Trove (for intermediate pianists, read the review) and Doodles (for elementary players, reviewed here).

Alison’s latest collection is aimed at the early advanced player. Landscapes: Poetic Piano Solos consists of 14 original compositions that would suit late intermediate players between around UK Grade 5-6 level.

Let’s take a look (and a listen!) …

James Welburn’s ‘Musical Escapades’

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

The latest publication from Editions Musica Ferrum is a collection of “Animated pieces for the intermediate pianist” called Musical Escapades and composed by EMF newcomer James Welburn.

Let’s dive straight in…

Dusk of Day, Dawn of Night

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Nikolas Sideris is a composer of formidable musical intelligence and imagination who is perhaps best known for his extraordinary duet collection Fairyland in Treble.

Reviewing that collection, I concluded:

“I must say that this book stands out as being VERY special indeed. It’s truly an essential purchase.”

Fans of that duet book will undoubtedly be delighted to know that its successor, The Dusk of Day, The Dawn of Night, is now available. So let’s take a look…

Songs from Rainbow Hill

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Composer Ben Crosland will be known to many Pianodao readers for his popular Cool Beans series of books published by Editions Musica Ferrum, the most recent and in my view best of which, Magic Beans, I reviewed here.

Ben’s latest publication from Editions Musica Ferrum is Songs from Rainbow Hill, a collection of “Lyric Pieces for Solo Piano” that ties in with his new album recording of the same name.

As such this is very different from his previous publications, taking us deeper into Ben’s own compositional world. So let’s enter …

Alison Mathews: Doodles

Educational Resources
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Alison Mathews’ excellent collection Treasure Trove (reviewed here) has proved a big hit with my students who have been working through it, and I’m delighted that publishers Editions Musica Ferrum have now brought out another collection composed by her: Doodles.

It is very clear straight away that this publication explores very different terrain to Treasure Trove however. So what is the concept here? Let’s find out…

Simon Hester’s ‘Megabytes’

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Simon Hester is a prolific composer whose works include numerous chamber and orchestral pieces as well as music for the stage. Hester has written extensively for solo piano too.

That Hester is himself a fine pianist with a deep empathy for the instrument and its possibilities is clear in his piano writing, and not least in the ten character pieces which make up Megabytes I: The Private Life of Bugs.