Inspired by Bartók’s’Mikrokosmos’ and by the indigenous music from various parts of Africa, South African composer Michael Blake created this magnum opus – like Bartók’s work, in varying degrees of difficulty for young players and experts alike. The recording was made in June 2021 at the Menuhin Hall, Cobham, Surrey by pianist Antony Gray, whose recent Divine Art albums of piano works by Saint-Saëns have met with great success and glowing reviews.

For the first time, here is an album full of piano duets written expressly for teacher and student, from the first in the genre, Haydn’s Il Maestro e lo Scolare, through many well-known composers of the 19th and 20th centuries up to the current decade. Very few of these works have attained any sort of public awareness apart from Stravinsky’s Easy Pieces, but though written deliberately with one ‘easy’ part for the learner, the pieces are thoroughly delightful, tuneful and never simplistic: indeed they display all the hallmarks of Romantic, Impressionist (and in two cases jazz-inspired) music-making of high quality and all make more extremely entertaining and pleasant listening. Antony Gray is a London-based pianist and teacher with acclaimed recordings to his name. His work with students of all ages, those that wish to pursue advanced training and even those who do not, produces a wonderful rapport which shines through in these recordings. Over 50 of Gray’s students are represented on the album.

Saint-Saëns excelled as a composer, conductor, pianist and organist – his composition output is enormous, reaching over 160 titles of which many are substantial – operas, ballets, symphonies – yet today much of his work remains neglected and he is known by a few works only: the “Organ” Symphony, Samson et Dalila, Danse macabre and The Carnival of the Animals. His original piano pieces are generally light “salon” works but are nonetheless delightful and well formed. His major contribution to the piano works is the equally neglected body of transcriptions (of his own works and those of others) where he was sadly eclipsed by the more outgoing and promotion-minded Franz Liszt.

Saint-Saëns excelled as a composer, conductor, pianist and organist – his composition output is enormous, reaching over 160 titles of which many are substantial – operas, ballets, symphonies – yet today much of his work remains neglected and he is known by a few works only: the Organ Symphony, Samson et Dalila, Danse Macabre and Carnival of the Animals. His original piano pieces are generally light ‘salon’ works but are nonetheless delightful and well formed. His major contribution to the piano works is the equally neglected body of transcriptions (of his own works and those of others) where he was sadly eclipsed by the more outgoing and promotion-minded Franz Liszt. This album and its companion include a number of first recordings, introducing a large body of keyboard gems to a new audience. Volume 1 is divided into two sections: transcriptions from Opera and Ballet, and pieces inspired by specific places.