Australian pianist William Murdoch is almost forgotten today but was a major UK Columbia recording artist in the 1920s. A consummate musician, he was known as a chamber player as much as a soloist, as evidenced by many recordings, but was also the first pianist to record Beethoven’s third piano concerto (acoustically in 1925). Amongst his solo recordings, pride of place must go to the two Beethoven sonatas which burst with energy and passion while never descending into superficiality.

A little known and fascinating part of his legacy is his recording of the eight test pieces written for the National Piano Competition of 1928 organised by the Daily Express. This unique event was open to pianists of all abilities from beginner to advanced and the specially commissioned pieces, by contemporary British composers, reflected these different levels. Murdoch’s recordings originally came with spoken commentaries on interpretation.