The Estonian Heino Eller (1887–1970) is probably best known as the teacher of Arvo Pärt – but he was a prolific and original composer in his own right. His substantial output for piano – this series will contain seven CDs – was written over a period of six decades and thus reflects a range of styles. Taking the lyricism of Chopin and Grieg as its starting point, it combines the influence of Estonian folksong, Scriabin’s troubled harmonies, the epic northern colouring of Sibelius and, at times, Prokofiev’s motoric energy into an attractively individual manner.

Heino Eller is one of the central figures in Estonian classical music, linking all parts of it into a coherent narrative, from the inception of a national culture to the modern day. Born in Tartu, the centre of Estonian national awakening at the time, he spent his childhood surrounded by music, but his professional training began late. From 1907 until 1920 he studied in St Petersburg, a metropolis with a booming musical and artistic life, which made him a witness to one of history’s most radical revolutions.