Frank Hutchens
Composers' Series, The - Volume 8(a) Piano Solos (Hutchens)
Composers' Series, The - Volume 8(a) Piano Solos (Hutchens)
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Frank Hutchens (1892-1965)
14 piano solos for advanced students, composed between early 1930s and 1960s.
Hutchens was an extraordinary teacher, who taught at the NSW Conservatorium for almost 50 years and his writing for the piano is always pianistic. These compositions for piano are quite extraordinary in that despite being based on very natural hand positions, and therefore very comfortable to play, they give the impression of being challenging works. This is the case even for the simpler pieces. His musical language could be described as impressionistic, occasionally late romantic, and he uses compositional elements found normally in the music of Impressionistic compositions: unsymmetrical phrases, whole tone scales, unresolved dissonances, and the harmony, while basically tonal explores chromaticism.
This volume of piano solos is unique as until now there has been no collection of his works. Despite having written over fifty piano compositions they had been published as single items and no compilation had existed. This volume includes the more difficult and challenging works. Volume 8 (b) is designed to present works of approximately fifth to eight grade standard and Volume 8 (c) has elementary to grade five pieces.
More comprehensive biographical notes are within the volume which also includes a CD of all the works.
Researched, edited and recorded by Jeanell Carrigan
Volume 8: Frank Hutchens
- Sample pages of each work
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Weeping Mist
- Gavotte Brillante - https://youtu.be/Jbb3zFUg9fA
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Ballade
- Vienna Interlude - https://youtu.be/lyyneKWGN3Y
- Fairy Ships
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The Voyage
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Sea Music
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The Surfer
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Sea Fantasy
- Waltz - https://youtu.be/9eeoLLUCXsQ
- Prelude - https://youtu.be/27UoTNBYUTo
- Toccata - https://youtu.be/Hb31M5oYjrw
-
Serenade
- Lullaby on a Hidden Theme - https://youtu.be/kacTl9Id5ao
Many works are performed on Sea Impressions (Wirr 108) and Forest Magic (Wirr 109) available online
As part of 'The Composer's Series' many of these works have been performed by Jeanell Carrigan on a CDs: Sea Impressions (Wirr108); Forest Magic (Wirr109)