On his new release on the RTÉ Lyric FM label, Hugh Tinney –  A Portrait, the Irish pianist performs works by a range of composers including Euler’s Harmonies by American minimalist Tom Johnson

 Tinney writes that he was introduced to the work by the Irish composer Siobhan Cleary in 2005.

In the context of closing this CD, its slowly unfolding chords (here in a palindromic, minor arrangement – the 2nd half of the piece is the 1st half played backwards, bar by bar) reflect the arpeggiations of the opening Bach C major Prelude [track 1].

Listen below to Tinney’s performance.

An article by Tom Johnson on trends in European minimalism and silent music, published in The Journal of Music in 2009, appears here. 

Other works featured on the recording include Gerald Barry’s ‘Swinging Tripes and Trillibubkins’ from The Intelligence Park, Bach’s Prelude in D minor, Schubert’s Sonata in B-flat major, the Op. 60 Barcarolle by Chopin, and Debussy’s Images.

Tinney and the violinist Catherine Leonard are artistic directors of a new chamber music festival  taking place in Westport, Co. Mayo on 6–8 September this year. Concerts will be presented in Westport House and Holy Trinity Church. Guests include the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet, guitarist Redmond O’Toole, violinist Mairead Hickey and pianist Gary Beecher. For more information about the Westport Festival of Chamber Music, visit classicallinks.ie. 

rte.ie/lyricfm