David Korevaar’s second volume of piano works by Lowell Liebermann includes his first sonata, written when he was only 15. Liebermann played it himself in Carnegie Hall the following year where it made a considerable impact and gained awards. One can see why. Liebermann has a natural feel for the piano even if his primary moods are brief prestos going off like firecrackers and cool, sustained melody. His stylistic background is a dialect stemming from Shostakovich, which Liebermann acknowledges, and his language has remained confident and consistent.

In the past few years he has been taken up by two outstanding British performers – two piano concertos have been recorded by Stephen Hough (Hyperion, 9/97) and James Galway has recorded three concertos involving flute or piccolo (RCA, 2/99).

The Second Piano Sonata evokes a nocturnal landscape with spacious atmospheric textures creating a haunting mood, which is occasionally disrupted but works towards a radiant B major ending. Korevaar understands these interactions perfectly, savours the melancholy melodies – probably Liebermann’s most distinctive trait – and delivers the rapid passages with aplomb.

The Bruckner Variations are based on one of the two little-known Aequali for three trombones written in 1847 but there is more of Liebermann’s elusive temperament in the Gargoyles. The Album for the Young is light-hearted with the emphasis on reflective pieces. The reissued recordings are slightly thin in tone but these are well matched on a similar Baldwin instrument of 12 years later.