CRITIC’S CHOICE

Seth Blacklock, County Antrim

One record label that never ceases to reward is Toccata Classics, from whom I have been enjoying Vol. 1 of orchestral music by the Swiss composer Heinrich Sutermeister – music that is accessible, characterful and masterfully orchestrated. But feeding my main passion – keyboard music – is the recent release of Etudes, Op. 35 for piano by Charlesvalentin Alkan on the Piano Classics label, performed by the brilliant young British pianist Mark Viner. Etude No. 11, ‘Posément’, has always been a favourite work of mine by this unusual composer.