The personal generosity that made the Scottish composer Ronald Stevenson (1928–2015) such a warm and vibrant character extended also to his writing-desk: around a quarter of his enormous output is given over to transcriptions, mostly for piano, of music by other composers. Here he pays homage to three earlier colleagues whose music he particularly esteemed: Purcell, Delius and van Dieren. Stevenson described his version of Van Dieren’s String Quartet no.5 (1931) as ‘transcribed as a piano sonata (which B. v. D. never composed)’ – and thus it became the piano sonata which Stevenson himself never composed. The album ends with Stevenson’s brief but achingly beautiful harmonisation of Purcell’s The Queen’s Dolour – as exquisite an example of the transcriber’s art as anyone could wish.

“What a surprise. About the last word I’d use to describe Ronald Stevenson’s music is ‘charming’. Imposing, impressive, profound? Sure. But never charming. But this release has proved me wrong and shown me a side of this composer I never knew existed. …Altogether this is the most stirring and emotionally compelling music I’ve heard from Stevenson and alone worth the price of the disc. … Gorgeous Steinway, strong and rich bass, clear treble—absolutely everything I could want in a piano, and Guild is a fantastic advocate for this almost unknown music. I can’t wait for Volume 2.” – American Record Guide, 9 September 2015 (Vol.1, TOCC0272)

“…music impressively performed by the Scottish pianist Christopher Guild. … That Stevenson was a great transcriber is abundantly demonstrated no only in Rory Dall Morrison’s Harp Book, but also in Hebridean Seascape, which reimagines the slow movement of Frank Merrick’s Second Piano Concerto, a colouristic tour de force, vibrantly brought to life by Guild.” – Gramophone, May 2017 (Vol.2, TOCC0388)

“Affecting poetry and blood-stirring fire in confluence with folk voices and an over-arching simplicity.” – MusicWeb International, April 2019 (Vol.3, TOCC0403)

“This is fabulous music, beautifully recorded and played with real understanding and commitment.” – Fanfare, September/October 2020 (Vol.4, TOCC0555)