Aztec Dances: New Works for Recorder and Piano', a recording of world premières by Jill Kemp (recorder) and Aleksander Szram (piano). Featuring one of the last pieces that David Bedford (1937-2011) ever composed, the CD appears in his 80th birthday year.
'Aztec Dances' also showcases the outstanding talent of UK composers Edward Gregson (b. 1945), Gregory Rose (b. 1948), George King (b. 1979) and Daryl Runswick (b. 1946), as he celebrates his 70th birthday. All written since 2010, the works on Aztec Dances offer a striking contrast to Szram and Kemp's previous CD, English Recorder Works (MMC, 2013). Inspiration for the works on this CD range from 16th century Aztec ceremony in Edward Gregson's Aztec Dances (2010), to an ancient Greek concert hall in Gregory Rose's Garden of the Gods (2013) and contemporary jazz forms in George King's Dance Suite (2011). Some works invite technical innovations, such as playing two recorders at once in David Bedford's Kemptown Races (2010); others introduce compositional ones, for example making the recorder and piano interlock but not synchronise in 'accidental counterpoints', in Daryl Runswick's Cycles (2013). In each work, the performers' virtuosity shines through, and has stimulated a wide variety of additions to the recorder–piano repertoire."It is exciting to hear the music being composed for the recorder now and important for players and composers (and listeners) to continue the initiative of the 20th century recorder pioneers, as Jill and Aleksander have done"
