This is a very important release for lovers of 20th century music, featuring one of the most fascinating and important piano works of the 20th century. Passacaglia is, first, one of the longest continuous solo keyboard pieces ever written. It has collected almost a cult following. It is also a piece of wide variety, collecting in influences from the music of many places, but based strongly and closely throughout on the initials DSCH (for Dmitri Schostakovich). We are pleased to dedicate this disc to the composer in celebration of his recent 75th birthday. Pianist Murray McLachlan is one of Britain's leading exponents of modern music. He has recorded 2 previous CDs for Divine Art and also for Dunelm and Olympia.