Nyman: If

Award winning saxophonist Gerard McChrystal comes from Derry, N.Ireland and has become the player of choice for composers and performers internationally. Gerard has premiered concertos by Sir Malcolm Arnold, Dave Heath and John Metcalf and in his career to date performed with, amongst others, Philip Glass, Smith Quartet and Craig Ogden. This brilliantly devised new CD, with many works transcribed by Gerard, is at times melancholic but this deeply personal album is always beautiful and captivating.

9 of Michael Nyman’s greatest hits arranged/performed by The Motion Trio.

Bonus Track - ‘Silence’ written and performed by The Motion Trio

The Motion Trio are an accordion trio. They were honored with the ‘Gus Viseur’ award at the Musical Discovery of the Year awards in 2005 in France - a top honour in the accordion world.

They are the grand prix laureates of the 4th Edition of the Krzysztof Penderecki International Contemporary Chamber Music Competition.

The Motion Trio have participated in a great number of prestigous festivals events inlcuding the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Alternativa Festival, Moscow, Migration Music Festival Taipei, Fest Der Kontinente Berlin, Gaudeamus Festival, Amsterdam, Reykjavik Arts Festival, Festival d'Ile de France, Paris and many others.

The best solo piano works from the pen of Britain’s most innovative and celebrated composer, Michael Nyman, played by Ksenia Bashmet, daughter of the acclaimed violist Yuri Bashmet. The Piano Collection includes the haunting theme from The Piano. Little or no competition for the Michael Nyman solo piano works makes this disc a much sought after release.

This unusual collection is dedicated to a very popular style: minimalist music. The style has evolved from austere, almost strict repetition to a more varied and free approach to material and technique.

The set includes works for solo piano by most of the famous ‘minimalist’ composers covering three generations from Cage, through Riley and Glass to Adams and Nyman.