JENNIFER HIGDON (b.1962): Percussion Concerto, THOMAS ADÈS (b.1971): Chamber Symphony, Op. 2, JAMES MACMILLAN (b.1959): The Confession of Isobel Gowdie.

Description: Adès' is an early work, four clearly delineated movements compressed into one, with skeletal suggestions of dance-rhythms amid orchestration of great originality. Higdon's exuberant and decisively tonal percussion concerto begins with a misleadingly restrained introduction for the soloist which gradually draws in the orchestral percussion, before the full orchestra joins in in vital, energetic music with a bracing, open-air quality. This dancing music gives way to a slow section exploiting a wide range of percussion sonorities, after which the energy level increases to an exhilarating conclusion. MacMillan's is probably his most famous work now, tightly organised and emotionally direct, grounded in tonality while never sounding outdated or neo-anything, the work has a direct emotional appeal. Colin Currie (percussion), London Philharmonic Orchestra; Marin Alsop.