After publishing 2 CDs by James MacMillan BIS now released another CD
by a contemporary British composer.  This CD (BIS-971) features the music
of Sally Beamish.  She originally studied composition with Lennox Berkeley
but then became a violist.  After the theft of her viola she decided to
concentrate more on composition (at least this is written in the booklet!).
The three works on this recording are the viola concerto (1995), the cello
concerto "River" (1997) and Tam Lin for oboe and orchestra (1993) (Philip
Dukes, viola; Robert Cohen, cello; Gordon Hunt, oboe; Swedish Chamber
Orchestra conducted by Ola Rudner).  All three are IMHO excellent works!
This is some kind of post-Britten music, not too *complicated* or
atonal but certainly well crafted and full of colour and emotion.
Comparisons...well...maybe this music is in a similar vein than MacMillan
I mentioned above or other British contemporaries like Matthews, Payne or
Turnage but of course Beamish does her own thing.  As expected from BIS
performance and sound are perfect!  Recommended!

Achim Breiling