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Pieces from Childhood

Geoffrey Tozer’s 'Pieces from Childhood' allow us to glimpse, if only briefly, the adventures of the young genius into the world of classical music. Tozer’s music, and emotions he expresses – sometimes tumultuous, sometimes meditative – are ever the embodiment of a growing young artist.

The compositions of Geoffrey Tozer were unknown and unpublished at the time
of his death in 2009. The pieces recorded on this disc were composed between 1961 and 1969 when Tozer was between the ages of seven and fourteen.

Following the establishment of the Geoffrey Tozer Archive in 2009-2010, over 100 original, hand-written manuscripts were discovered. These pieces were then edited and prepared for publication and performance, resulting in five volumes published under the Tozart imprint, a name created by Tozer himself when he was eight.

Childhood are microcosms of his experience and his understanding of playing and performing the works of the great composers at a young age – reflections of his own humour and delight at ‘writing in the style’.

After he performs Beethoven, we can recognise Geoffrey’s homage, Fantasy on a theme by Dr Floyd, that is surely playing with an understanding of the Master. Similarly, Bach, Mozart and Schubert all merit his attention, and even suites in the style of the baroque specialists earn a tribute. Geoffrey demonstrates his affinity to these composers, delighting in creating works that echo his understanding of the various styles; music and playing that anticipates what we hear in his famous improvisations as an adult performer.

These miniatures are a lens through which we glimpse, if only briefly, Geoffrey’s adventures into the world of classical music at so young an age.

Artist

Lachlan Redd

Concert pianist Lachlan Redd came to international attention when, aged just twenty, he won First Prize in the prestigious Virtuosi of the Year 2000 competition in St Petersburg. It was April 1995 and The Australian newspaper reported that Lachlan, ‘an unknown young Australian has astonished the musical might of Russia by walking off with the country’s premier prize for young pianists’. The prize brought Lachlan Redd to the attention of Geoffrey Tozer, although it would be some years before they worked together.


Press quote

“Geoffrey Tozer dying at too you an age on 54 in 2009 was described as an artist of the first rank and amongst the world's finest. He had a boundless musical memory, the ability to improvise and to create on the piano a rich reduction of an orchestral score at sight. Most importantly he was a musician's musician. The works included on this CD allow the listener to glimpse the adventures of a young genius into the world of classical music. Sometimes his music is tumultuous, sometimes meditative but it is ever the embodiment of a growing young artist. THere are in all 38 mostly very short tracks…all performed with energy and sensitivity by Lachlan Redd.”

— Emyr Evans, 2MBS Fine Music Magazine

Track Listing

    The Frank Bridge Suite: 6 Minatures (sic) Geoffrey Tozer

  1. Pastoral :46
  2. Quarrel :19
  3. Village Band 1:17
  4. Crooning :48
  5. (five) :14
  6. Entrance to 1965 :46
  7. Musical Box Geoffrey Tozer 1:24
  8. Album Leaves Geoffrey Tozer :47
  9. Variations on Greensleeves in the Aolian Mode Geoffrey Tozer 1:19
  10. Piano Frolic Geoffrey Tozer :50
  11. Puck's Dance Geoffrey Tozer :26
  12. Rondo Op. 13 No. 5 Geoffrey Tozer :28
  13. Hommage to Bela Bartok Geoffrey Tozer :20
  14. Hornpipe Geoffrey Tozer :46
  15. Waltz in D Geoffrey Tozer :50
  16. Semiquaveraver Geoffrey Tozer :53
  17. Minuet and Trio Geoffrey Tozer 1:36
  18. Lamentation Geoffrey Tozer 1:51
  19. Album Leaf: The Cuckoo Geoffrey Tozer :59
  20. Fantasy on a Theme of Dr. Floyd Geoffrey Tozer 2:39
  21. The Old Mill Geoffrey Tozer 1:27
  22. Snowing Geoffrey Tozer 1:35
  23. Rain Geoffrey Tozer :40
  24. Whirlwind Geoffrey Tozer 1:02

    25. Les petits Geoffrey Tozer

  25. Ouverture 1:41
  26. Borree 2:05

    27. Variations Geoffrey Tozer

  27. Variation I: JSB 2:04
  28. Variation II: WAM 1:17

    29. Little Sweet Geoffrey Tozer

  29. Cherry Ripe 1:12
  30. Toblerone 1:17
  31. Hazlenut :16
  32. Mars Bar :44
  33. Caramello :36

    34. Suite No. 2 in F Geoffrey Tozer

  34. Allemande :52
  35. Courante :38
  36. Sarabande 3:05
  37. Gigue :58
  38. Two Dances from the Elizabethan Age Geoffrey Tozer 3:32

Performers

Composer

Geoffrey Tozer

Geoffrey Tozer was an artist of the first rank, a consummate musician, a concert pianist and recitalist with few peers, possessing perfect pitch, a boundless musical memory, the ability to improvise, to transpose instantly into any key or to create on the piano a richly textured reduction of an orchestral score at sight.


Where to buy

Pieces from Childhood is available for download from the iTunes Music Store.
It's available for streaming through Apple Music.

Pieces from Childhood is available as as CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer secure online ordering.

Move CDs can be ordered through music retailers across Australia including Readings.

Product details

List price
$25.00 AUD
Total playing time
44 minutes 19 seconds
Release date
December 2014
Copyright
© 2014 Move Records
Phonogram
℗ 2014 Move Records
Categories
Australian, Classical
Catalogue number
MD 3377
Alternate catalogue number
MD3377
Barcode
EAN 9314574337723