Edward Loder (1809–65), the scion of an important family of early-Victorianmusicians, is one of the ‘lost generation’ of British composers living betweenSamuel Wesley’s time and the beginnings of the ‘British musicalrenaissance’.

He enjoyed brief success as an operatic composer and for a while he couldrely on frequent commissions and publication for his songs and piano music.

But had an uneven and ultimately tragic career: not only was he brieflyimprisoned for debt; he ended his days a pauper, paralysed and forgotten.

Yet the best of his piano music – recorded here for the first time – shows acomposer alert to developments in the music of Beethoven and Schubert andwith a lively sense of invention of his own.

This CD is released to mark the 150th anniversary of Edward Loder’s death.

Ian Hobson, pianist and conductor, began his international career in 1981when he won First Prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition. He isin increasing demand as a conductor, particularly for performances in whichhe doubles as a pianist. He made his debut in this capacity in 1996 with theStuttgart Chamber Orchestra, and also performs extensively as pianist-conductor with Sinfonia da Camera, a group he formed in 1984 and whichquickly gained international recognition through its recordings. Ian Hobsonappears on a number of other Toccata Classics recordings as pianist.