Kevin Raftery is an American composer who has been working in the UK since 1989, and also plays bassoon and sings contemporary vocal music. His work is thoroughly modern, without classical limitations, but is also in turn lyrical, tuneful, dramatic and serene, giving appeal to more than just fans of modernist music. In fact this is top-class post-modern work. While the Quartet and Quintet are formal works, the Pleasantries suite is full of wit, based on ‘figure of speech’ expressions.

The three ensembles here are all celebrated in their own right: The Heath Quartet, quartet in residence at Middlebury College, Vermont, near to Metier HQ, have appeared at the BBC Proms, at Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center and have made several acclaimed recordings. The Berkeley Ensemble and Animare Ensemble were both formed to explore modern chamber music as well as more traditional material: both have flexible configurations and employ some of the UK’s top soloists and orchestral principals.