Neurology

Another example of Joanna MacGregor's varied programming style. This cd is titled Neural Circuits and as well as Ms MacGregor, features the Britten Sinfonia and Ensemble Bash. There are two pieces by Nitin Sawnhey, including the title track heavily influenced by Steve Reich, and a traditional percussion piece from Ghana which the Bash crew perform admirably. The remaining pieces are more strictly modern classical, with Arvo Part's sublime Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten, Schnittke's dissonant Concerto for Piano and Strings and Messiaen's Louange a l'Eternite de Jesus, one movement from his Quartet for the End of Time ( more of which later )and featuring the late Christopher van Kampen on cello with MacGregor's piano. A satisfying cd programme that hangs together more in the style of a pop album than a typical recital.