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This recent release is a significant offering of the orchestral works of Marcus Blunt. It will surely appeal to lovers of lush harmony and orchestration. Blunt enjoys employing a sensuous lather of string timbres, with frequent solos offering the varying colors of the woodwinds, punctuated by heroic brass interjections. A common characteristic of his orchestral writing style is a sense of deep, mystical calm.

The best examples of these qualities are “Aspects of Saturn,” and the Second Symphony, which concludes the recording. “Aspects of Saturn,” depicted by the eye-catching cover, is not a one-dimensional work of astral contemplation, but rather a commentary on varying meanings accorded this divinity in Greek and Roman traditions. These meanings are expounded in the liner notes.

The Concertino for Bassoon stands out for its more rhythmic qualities and its at times light-hearted style, effectively performed by Lesley Wilson. Any traditional issues of balance seem handled by the thoughtful scoring of the piece and its sensitive performance, rather than by clever post-production manipulations in the studio.

It is the piano concerto, placed first on the disc, that offers the most expansive canvas among these works, and the greatest sense of drama. Its passionate opening sets the scene for the struggle, most inflated in the thrilling “life-and-death” climax at the end of the opening movement. The piano writing throughout is attractively spaced over the keyboard, but offers greater breadth and scope than Blunt’s solo works (the recording “Aspirations” is a good introduction to Blunt’s piano style). The virtuosity in this concerto can be most strongly heard in the dynamic third movement cadenza. This concerto is a significant addition to the repertoire, and especially given that it {the Symphony, not the recording!!} is now more than 20 years old, this fine recording by Murray McLachlan and the Manchester Camerata is all the more welcome.

—Matthew Bengtson