This disc focuses on the art of transcription and paraphrase. In the mid-19th century such works held a much more prominent place in musical life than nowadays, when they have largely been consigned to the realms of historical footnotes. In the developing era of the travelling virtuoso, and predating the gramophone, these pieces served two principal functions. Firstly, they enabled familiar (typically operatic) themes of the day to be heard without the necessity of visiting the opera house itself, and secondly, they provided the pianist with attractive material for public performance.

Over the last few years, Andrew Wright has performed regularly in public, giving concerts in Scotland and the north of England. His arrangement of ‘Casta Diva’ was used on the soundtrack in an Australian Documentary programme ‘Compass’.