Here is more evidence of the wealth of fine ‘traditional’ music being written by contemporary English composers, with hardly a spike of barbed wire in sight, although Sir Malcolm Arnold’s harmony is never either predictable or bland, as the plangent opening of his Concertino immediately shows. It has a haunting central ‘Chaconne’ and a characteristic, gaily dancing finale. But the unforgettable finale here comes from Philip Lane’s Suite ancienne (unashamed pastiche), with the irresistible closing exuberance of ‘Beau Brummel’s Bath Night’ (whatever went on, or rather came off?). Thomas Pitfield, born in Bolton, was in my day a much- admired professor of composition at the Royal Manchester College, subsequently the Royal Northern College of Music, and his Recorder Concerto, which uses both treble and descant recorders, moves easily from English pastoralism to a southern ‘Tarantella’. The same composer’s Nautical Sketches draws on sea shanties with an equally light touch: the delectable opening ‘Quodlibet’ is highly suitable for a ‘spot the tune’ parlour game.
Edward Gregson’s evocative style is a kind of French/English impressionism, and he does well by Matisse. ‘Lux, calme et volupte’ is all three, and the winsome closing ‘Danse’ suggests a shepherd piping. David Lyon’s Concertino is the most recent work (1999), and also has Gallic influences: its wry ‘Badinage’ neatly offsets the wan delicacy of the central waltz. Parrott’s Prelude opens more astringently, then he relents for another delectably embroidered waltz. The cookbook of recipes prepared by Bullard certainly titillates the palette, with morning ‘Coffee and Croissants’, followed by a ‘Barbecued’ tango, a witty ‘Prawn’ habanera, and after a ‘Special Chop Suey’ takeaway ends with a circus galop enthusiastically relishing ‘Fish and Chips’. The invention of all these works is consistently diverting, and with a brilliant soloist in John Turner and first-rate accompaniments from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia under Gavin Sutherland (or Gregson, conducting his own work), this is an extremely enjoyable and highly recommendable disc.'