Harpist to Queen Victoria, the Welsh composer John Thomas (1826–1913) also wrote prolifically for his own instrument, both for solo harp and for duos of two harps or harp and piano – a combination where the different sounds of the two instruments enhance the clarity of the texture. Thomas’s original works use the elegant Romantic style of his own day, but he often drew on Welsh folksong for his inspiration and also left a generous legacy of transcriptions, especially of operatic favourites. Although some of his music was intended for the Victorian drawing room, other pieces require a virtuoso technique – and all of it has a thoroughly engaging melodic appeal.

“Well recorded and accompanied by excellent documentation, these fine performances by Duo Praxedis are thoroughly enjoyable and also constitute a valuable document of the work of an important Victorian musician now too often forgotten.” – Glyn Purslove, MusicWeb International, on Vol.1 (TOCC0561)