A contemporary music ‘sampler’ with a twist from one of Germany’s most exciting ensembles. Readers would hardly thank me for attempting to describe the 40-odd works, from three dozen composers, included in this collection. Suffice it to say that few of the names you’d expect are missing from the roster of contributors to Ensemble Recherche’s snapshot of European contemporary music – along with a few surprises as well.

The premise was simple: most of these pieces are responses – overt or covert – to Recherche’s invitation to revive a tradition that died out with Purcell’s contributions to the genre in 1680. They range from the more-or-less ‘straight’ transcriptions of Gérard Pesson and Brice Pauset to gnomic fantasias on the familiar theme first used by John Taverner. The term ‘broken consort’ is an elegant way of licensing the composers to range beyond the original viols to a mixed chamber ensemble. Given that very few composers outstay their welcome, the star of the show is in fact Ensemble Recherche, whose lively playing keeps listeners on their toes. And if you don’t like a particular composer’s take on the theme, relax: there’ll be another one along in a couple of minutes.

It’s also entertaining to guess at what each composer has done to transform or disguise the tune: some of the titles read like crossword clues, cryptic, annoying, amusing by turns. Sometimes one suspects that the piece has actually nothing to do with the overall directive, and has been included because it’s a good, short piece, difficult to programme otherwise (one such is Walter Zimmermann’s Dit for cello and tape). And at the risk of revealing some bias, let me mention just one other piece, Ferneyhough’s In nomine for wind trio, a sunburst of a piece that gives the lie to his reputation as a difficult composer. It all adds up, in Joyce’s memorable word, to a ‘funferal’. Enjoy it like a sampler.