Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Pianist Frank Merrick and violinist Henry Holst stand as witnesses to music's vulnerabilities. In this they are far from unique. The present recordings give a modern hearing to LPs which have, until now, been stashed away in the oubliette of history. They join those on Frank Merrick volume 1. The present set reminds us of works that were, at the time of recording in the late 1950s and early 1960s, unfashionable or even unknown. They found a voice in two musicians whose own careers were at or past their highest peak. This album is released with grateful thanks to Frank Merrick's children, Celia, Paul & Phoebe, and to Rosalind Murrell, for their advice, photographs of Frank Merrick and the loan of multiple copies of these very rare LPs.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Frank Merrick was a tireless champion of the causes in which he believed and these causes extended well beyond the field of music. Although his name is associated with the piano music of a range of composers as diverse as John Field and Prokofiev, Schubert and Arnold Bax, he also campaigned with the suffragettes, was imprisoned during the First World War as a Conscientious Objector and over many years advocated the use of the universal language Esperanto. Between 1898-1901 Frank Merrick studied in Vienna with the celebrated teacher, Theodor Leschetizky, and he made his London debut aged 16 in 1903. This release features a selection of the best performances transferred from the 'Frank Merrick Society' and the 'Rare Recorded Edition' LPs of the 1960s.

These selections were originally recorded on the Duo-Art Reproducing Piano between 1916 and 1926.

Percy Grainger recorded these selections on Aeolian "Duo Art" piano rolls between 1915-1929, and they are reproduced on a modern piano. Gerald C. Stonehill supplied the piano rolls used for this disc.