Short Reviews [Ellsworth Hall - 2024 - "Conversations With George Edgar Selby Vol. 2"]

Although Ellsworth may be known to many as the leader of progressive band Aethellis, he has long been working in the field of library music and soundtracks. He wrote his first Piano Concerto in the Eighties, eventually recording it and releasing it alongside the soundtrack for "Beside the Manor Selby" on MRR in 2014, and it has taken another ten years for him to return with another in the same vein. Ellsworth provides piano, and he is accompanied by The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, providing 10 pieces in total, four of which forms part of "The Oratorio of Lycidas". I have long been a fan of piano music, playing myself from an early age, and my mother was an acclaimed accompanist, so I grew up either hearing it being played in the house, or playing it myself, and I could often be found playing classical piano records with Joseph Cooper being a particular favourite. These days I tend to only listen to classical piano when playing some of Wakeman's works, but I must confess and say this was a delight from the moment it hit to the player to the time it finished some 47 minutes later. Some composers want to challenge the players and the listeners, but here it feels as if we are being encouraged to go on a journey as opposed to being hit around the head. There is a delicacy which is combined with the strings to create an album which is a thing of beauty, something which is delicate yet also strong, restrained but also pulling forward, as if the horses are ready to go and just need the command. There are times when he moves into more progressive fields with additional keyboards, and this album skilfully moves between crossover and symphonic progressive rock and piano-led sonatas and concertos which are a delight. Accessible and highly enjoyable, I can see why Nick was keen to release this through MRR.