British composer Lydia Kakabadse (with roots in Greece, Austria, Russia and Georgia) reflects her cultural heritage in music that has western and mid-Asian elements – while this is strongest in her choral music, it is heard to good effect in her chamber works, which are often written in modal intonation; her first chamber CD was issued by Naxos to good reviews and this set concentrates on the ‘alternative’ string quartet line-up with double bass, with one piece for cello and bass duo and one for mezzo-soprano and quartet. The title Concertato derives from the usage in baroque music meaning a rivalry or contrast between the instruments; the composer uses this to emphasis lines and dialogues between instruments, especially so in the cello/bass duo which gives the CD its name.

sound collective is a group of distinguished musicians which works closely with composers, writers and educators in order to build new ways of appreciating and promoting chamber music.

Performers:
- Jess Dandy (mezzo-soprano)
- Sara Trickey (violin)
- Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola)
- Tim Lowe (cello)
- Ben Griffiths (double bass)