Charles Owen celebrates his 50th birthday with a recital devoted to five composers all of whom took the piano and its music to new heights of imaginative genius.

The programme opens by Children’s Corner from the great French master, Debussy, inspired by the toys and games of the composer’s young daughter Chou Chou. At the heart of the recital are three pieces anchored in the luminous tonality of F sharp major. Chopin’s magical Barcarolle floats upon enchanted waters as its Italianate melodies sing forth. Liszt, in his exquisite Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude, paints a picture of spiritual contentedness paving the way for Messiaen in his own profound Reflections on the Baby Jesus. The recital ends with the epic drama of ‘Vallée d’Obermann’, from Années de pèlerinage: Suisse, widely regarded as the pinnacle and summation of Liszt’s compositional style.

Actor Simon Callow will join Charles on stage to read poems by Lamartine, Betrand and others, all directly connected to the evening’s music.