Amy Beach was a prolific composer of piano music, ranging from miniatures to large-scale pieces. She is one of the great woman composers of all time. This compact disc contains all of her early works for piano, written from childhood through her mid-twenties. Mamma’s Waltz, Menuetto, Romanza, Petite Valse, Air and Variations and Bal Masque are world première recordings. The pieces are fresh and accessible, full of charm and grace. Beach was a trained pianist, and this is evident in her virtuosic writing in the larger works on this disc.
Kirsten Johnson masterfully captures the essence of the music with flair and imagination, backed by her extensive research into this repertoire. This CD is a must for serious collectors, but is also a treat for those who enjoy listening to piano music composed in the romantic style.