Instrumentation

Availability

Piano score and part 0-571-56152-7 (fp) on sale

Programme Notes

This piece began life as the fourth movement of my Oboe Concerto (1992). I subsequently made an arrangement for oboe and piano, and in 1996, another for violin and piano for Peter Sheppard Skaerved. Arthur ‘Montana’ Taylor was a remarkable but little-known blues pianist who made a handful of recordings in the 1930s and 1940s. My piece is based on a piano blues of his which I heard on the radio and which has haunted me ever since. I was particularly struck by the poignant harmony which suggested that Taylor must have heard some classical music – Schubert? – during his itincrant life.

© David Matthews

Montana Taylor's Blues

No Venue (Vancouver, BC, Canada)

tbc/Tony Clarke

Montana Taylor's Blues

Aberystwyth University (Aberystwyth, Wales, United Kingdom)

Ben Hancox/Lora Dimitrova

Montana Taylor's Blues

No Venue (Deal, Kent, United Kingdom)

Ben Hancox/Lora Dimitrova

Montana Taylor's Blues

No Venue (Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom)

Gina McCormack

Montana Taylor's Blues

Perry Court Farm (Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom)

Ben Hancox (vln)