Edward Cowie is considered by many to be the greatest living composer directly inspired by the Natural World. His post-impressionist works, from the gigantic orchestral Leviathan (his first Proms commission) to his cycles of Bird Portraits and other chamber and instrumental pieces are drawing gasps of admiration from critics and audiences alike.

This album focuses on Nature in the smallest sense – the subatomic building blocks of the Universe, and the conceptual realisation of mathematical structures in art by the great symbolic abstract artist Kandinsky. Three works for guitar(s) – solo, duo and quartet – are bookended by a violin duo and an oboe solo in a collection which once again demonstrates Cowie’s genius and his place as one of today’s most inspired and inventive composers – a place which is being confirmed by critics more and more with each new album.

The performers are all leaders in their fields: Skærved and Trandafilovski are the two violinists with the Kreutzer Quartet as well as having varied successful careers as soloists, composers/arrangers and educators – with many Métier and Athene recordings to their names. Christopher Redgate is recognised as one of the world’s foremost oboists specialising in new music (and the inventor of the Howarth-Redgate oboe) while Saki Kato and Hugh Millington are creating a fine reputation for their championing of contemporary guitar music. They are also recording music by Trandafilovsky for a new Métier release in November.

Overall this recording reinforces the brilliance of Cowie’s writing and shows his ability to create fine works for instruments he was not previously familiar with!