If you haven’t heard of Miriam Hyde, you’re missing a big chunk of Australian musical history. One of the most successful Australian female composers of the 20th Century, she premiered with the London Symphony Orchestra at the ripe old age of 21, featuring as soloist in her own Piano Concerto No. 1.

Although she has produced a large body of work over her almost 92 years, her music is often relegated to the AMEB exam books for children or left to languish in the libraries. With this stunning new album, Australian–Swiss flautist Bridget Bolliger is working hard to change people’s perceptions and bring Hyde’s music back into the limelight. From the very first notes you will be blown away, both by Bolliger’s glorious sound and West’s expert handling of the accompaniment. However, what makes this album shine are the alternatively sweet, stormy and overall delightful notes of Miriam Hyde’s composition.

I’ve had this recording on repeat for a week now and I’m still finding more to discover with each listening. On the surface, the music seems simple with clear melodic lines and understated harmonic ideas. But with each return to the works I find there’s a hitch in the melody that makes it interesting, an odd seventh chord that defies the harmonic progression. You can really hear Hyde’s melding of the worlds of Romanticism, Impressionism and a good dollop of Modernism in a way that is unique and impressive. Bolliger’s clear musical intentions have made Hyde’s music come alive for me in a way I’ve never heard before. I haven’t even had a chance to get to the reading of Hyde’s poetry at the end of the CD, but I’m very much looking forward to it. This album was a surprise and an absolute delight to discover.

Kate Rockstrom