Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, John Harbison, is recognised as one of the dominant figures of his generation, with commissions from most of America’s leading musical institutions as part of a catalogue of more than 300 works. Pianist Se-Hee Jin has been exploring Harbison’s oeuvre with fearless and insightful interpretations ever since their first meeting at Tanglewood many years ago. From the rhapsodic and virtuoso First Piano Sonata to the fleeting images of the Leonard Stein Anagrams and the playful Gatsby Etudes, this programme represents works from the 1980s to the present, including several world premiere recordings.

John Harbison has been quite well represented on recordings, not least with releases on the Naxos label such as the ‘powerful vision’ (Gramophone) of his Requiem (8559841), but this is the only disc we know of dedicated entirely to his piano works. The Gatsby Etudes previously appeared on 8559243 in a ‘ravishing’ (Fanfare) release with chamber and other solo works.