Richard Lester has been described both by the Daily Telegraph and The Times as ‘one of our leading players’.

He studied piano with Bernard Roberts, harpsichord with George Malcolm and organ with David Lang and was subsequently awarded a Fellowship of the London College of Music. During a busy career spanning forty years he has held full-time teaching posts as Director of Music at the Mall Preparatory School in Twickenham, Oakley Hall School in Cirencester, Master of the Choristers at Cirencester Parish Church and in a peripatetic capacity at Rendcomb College in Cirencester.

His many solo engagements include broadcasts for BBC Radio Three, Classic FM, television, recitals at the Royal Festival Hall South Bank Centre, Wigmore Hall, Bath International Festival, Bath Bach Festival, master classes and workshops at Dartington International Summer School, concerts in Switzerland and at the Bruges festival. As an organist he has given recitals in many Cathedrals, including St Paul’s, Coventry and Ely.

The music on this CD, written between 1777 and 1788, extols the virtues of the Viennese fortepiano during the early Classical period - qualities that influenced the flowering genius of Classical composers.

Richard plays a fortepiano by Johnn Schantz (c.1795).