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The Amstel Saxophone Quartet’s compilation of contemporary European compositions includes Ian Wilson’s So Softly (1992). The directness of communication is clearly represented in the piece, about which the composer wrote ‘Cast in four sections, the rhythm of the outer tones has the rise and fall of breathing. The piece itself is mostly gentle, almost like a lullaby, with a sense of appearing from, and disappearing into nothingness.’

Included in this CD is Ian Wilson’s ‘Spilliaert’s Beach’, inspired by Belgian artist Leon Spillaert’s painting Moonlit Beach (1908). This is a dark, almost abstract work with a single shining focus. The work is dedicated to flautist Nancy Ruffer who forms part of the duo, along with pianist Helen Crayford that present this compilation of pieces from American and British composers.

Young Irish concert pianist Finghín Collins, a former pupil of the composer, is the soloist in Gerry Murphy’s Piano Concerto No. 1 performed by the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Jiri Mikula. This three-movement work is the third of Murphy’s works to appear on the Vienna Modern Masters label and the CD also includes orchestral music byTetsuji Emura, Dinos Constantinides, Tsippi Fleischer and Don Walker.

Composer/performer Greg Caffrey’s instrumental group, Greg Caffrey Circle, explores the theme of children at play in these pieces for clarinet, guitar and drums. Partly written and partly improvised, the music draws strongly from the games and activities mentioned in the track titles: ‘Musical Chairs’, ‘Magic Tricks’, ‘Blind Man’s Buff’ and so on.