Manchester-born Anthony Burgess (1917-1993) was a novelist, poet, playwright, composer, linguist, translator and critic. Best known for his novel A Clockwork Orange, he was also a prolific composer and musician who wrote three symphonies and more than 150 other musical works.
The forthcoming Piano Music of Anthony Burgess album is to be released on the Prima Facie label, and will be celebrated with a concert and launch event on Thursday 10 December at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester. The album, which features previously unheard and unrecorded contemporary classical work for solo piano, has been recorded on Burgess’s own grand piano at the International Burgess Foundation by award-winning pianist Richard Casey.
Andrew Biswell, Director of the International Anthony Burgess Foundation and Professor of Modern Literature at MMU, said:
“Anthony Burgess is celebrated internationally as one of the most important novelists of the twentieth century, yet many people are unaware of his parallel career as a composer and musician. Throughout his life, Burgess composed hundreds of musical works, including symphonies, chamber music and a Broadway musical. This collection of pieces for solo piano has never been heard in public or recorded before. The new album celebrates the extraordinary musical achievement of Anthony Burgess. I am delighted that Richard Casey will be launching the CD with a concert on Burgess’s own piano, in the city of his birth, and in the Foundation building which bears his name.”
The Piano Music of Anthony Burgess is available to pre-order now for £10 from http://www.anthonyburgess.org.
The album will be released and launched on 10 December 2015 exclusively at the concert in a CD in digipak format. It will be available from 11 December on http://primafacie.ascrecords.com as a download and CD.
The International Anthony Burgess Foundation announces a world premiere concert of previously unheard music composed by Anthony Burgess and performed by Richard Casey.
Thursday 10 December 2015, 7pm
International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Chorlton Mill, Cambridge Street, Manchester M1 5BY
Tickets: http://www.anthonyburgess.org
