I wrote this little piece in 1965, when I was an undergraduate student at the Royal Academy of Music in London. It was written to celebrate the birth of my first niece, Jane Ann, and is dedicated to her; but it remained unpublished until I started discussing the repertoire for a new recording of my music for solo piano in 2020. It then emerged as a suitable piece to include, and it is now being published for the first time for pianists of all ages to enjoy.

Lullaby (or Cradle Song) Is cast in ternary form, and whilst the simple …

This expansive miniature was written in 1981 and was my response to the emotional impact of listening to the Adagietto from Mahler’s 5th Symphony, hence my dedication: with apologies to Gustav. Indeed, the main melody of my piece follows the melodic line of Mahler’s, but takes off in a different direction and ‘gradually metamorphoses into a lighter style reminiscent of a jazz improvisation…..as though we move from the philharmonic hall in Central Europe to a Manhattan jazz club around 2am, when everything is subdued and transient’ (McLachlan).

Although written many years ago, the piece is a rather personal creative utterance …

The first of these Études was written in memory of Mark Ray, former Head of Keyboard Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), who died in tragic circumstances in 2006. It makes use of syncopated rhythms and percussive articulation, with a passing reference to Ravel’s G major concerto, the work he performed in concert when he was a student at the RNCM. The Étude was premiered by Peter Lawson in 2006.

Études 2 and 3 were added to complete the set in 2020. Étude 2 is dedicated to Murray McLachlan, and is a study in textural control, with …