In addition to his distinguished career as a pianist and conductor, Howard Blake is a popular and prolific composer who has received an OBE for services to music. Besides film scores (which include the extraordinarily successful and popular The Snowman), choral, orchestral and instrumental works, ballets and opera, his output includes much chamber music. This programme brings premiere string quartet recordings of the award-winning music for A Month in the Country and the famous Walking in the Air theme from The Snowman. New discoveries emerge in the sensual and atmospheric ballet Leda and the Swan, and a specially revised String Trio. One of Britain’s foremost and senior ensembles, The Edinburgh Quartet celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with the commission of Blake’s dramatic Spieltrieb.

Spieltrieb, Op. 594
1. Spieltrieb, Op. 594 00:14:10

A Month in the Country, Op. 611
2. I. Idyll: Larghetto, espressivo 00:03:31
3. II. March: Alla marcia, tempo giusto 00:01:22
4. III. Elegy: Adagio 00:04:17
5. IV. Scherzo: Scherzando 00:01:31
6. V. Finale: Andante espressivo 00:03:12

Leda and the Swan, Op. 249a
7. Leda and the Swan, Op. 249a 00:09:37

String Trio, Op. 199
8. I. Allegro energico 00:04:23
9. II. Andante doloroso 00:03:35
10. III. Allegro capriccioso 00:03:43

Walking in the Air (version for string quartet), Op. 615
11. Walking in the Air (version for string quartet), Op. 615 00:06:24

Total Playing Time: 55:45