Nature [Alf:12-0571539327]

Nature, Tansy Davies' gloriously offbeat concerto for piano and ten instruments from 2012, teems with invention. This 20-minute work was inspired by shamanic rituals and the supernatural, and Davies describes the piano as 'part moth, part Maenad'. There is a feral quality to much of the tumultuous solo writing---all hyperactive trills and gutsy bass eruptions, shot through with rare and unexpected moments of calm. Brilliantly imaginative, and packed full of glistening, ever-changing ensemble textures, this remarkable reimagining of the concerto form sees Davies craft yet another thrilling and wholly distinctive soundworld.