Iain Ellis Hamilton was born in Glasgow on 6 June 1922. When he was seven years old, his family moved to London and he was educated at Mill Hill School. He won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in 1947 and henceforth dedicated himself to a life of composition.

The three works presented here are indicative of the broad spectrum covered by Iain Hamilton’s output. Together with Peter Racine Fricker and Humphrey Searle, he was one of the first British composers to forge a reputation in the immediate post-war years. It is to be hoped this release will introduce new listeners to his individual, resilient and multifaceted musical voice.

Richard Itter had a life-long fascination with recording and he habitually acquired professional equipment for disc and tape recording even for solely private use. From his home in Burnham he was able to receive a good signal from the BBC Wrotham transmitter, which was constructed in 1951 and began broadcasting VHF/FM on 2 May 1955. His domestic recordings from BBC transmissions date from 1952-1996. Everything was initially recorded on magnetic tape, but up to 1955 particularly important performances were transferred to acetate disc. These fragile discs were never played and have remained in excellent condition, as have the majority of the tapes which make up the bulk of the collection. In 2014 the Lyrita Recorded Edition Trust begun to transfer this priceless archive and has put in place formal agreements with the BBC and the Musicians Union to enable the release of items from it to the public.

BBC broadcast, 22 April 1972 (The Bermudas)

BBC broadcast, 27 March 1961 from the February premiere in Glasgow (Piano Concerto)

BBC live Proms broadcast, Royal Albert Hall, 4 August 1965 (Cantos - premiere)