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Beethoven, Ligeti, Bach and Scriabin from Perth Concert Hall by pianists Llyr Williams, Danny Driver and Alexander Gavrylyuk. Llyr Williams brings another sonata dedicated to Joseph Haydn in the sunny key of C major. With a four movement structure unusual in sonatas, it is a step closer to writing his first symphony, weightier in length and highly virtuosic. Danny Driver’s exploration of Ligeti’s etudes continues with Fanfares, a rapid repeated pattern of 8 notes across the whole study with hints of Bartok and contrasted with the chilled, lush sounds of Arc-en-ciel (Rainbow) reminiscent of jazz and which the composer suggested that pianists ‘Play it like Bill Evans’ the great jazz pianist & composer. Alexander Gavylyuk plays the short one exceptionally taxing movement sonata Sonata by Scriabin written just after his famous symphonic poem for orchestra, Le Poème de l’extase. In his own words ‘The Poem of Ecstasy took much of my strength and taxed my patience. [...] Today I have almost finished my 5th Sonata. It is a big poem for piano and I deem it the best composition I have ever written. I do not know by what miracle I accomplished it’

Beethoven Piano Sonata no.3, in C major
Ligeti: 18 Études: Fanfares, Arc-en-ciel
Bach: Corrente from Partita No 1 in B flat major BWV 825
Scriabin: Sonata no. 5 in F Sharp major Op 53

Llyr Williams, piano
Danny Driver, piano
Alexander Gavrylyuk, piano

Photo credit: Marco Borggreve