Sutton: Violin Concerto; Five Theatre Miniatures; A Fist Full of Fives; War Horse Suite - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Fenella Humphreys turned time spent in lockdown to good use preparing this fascinating and eclectic program of caprices. A collection ranging from Paganini to a wide selection of contemporary composers, some of whom contribute not only individual works, but who joined together for a splendid composite set of variations on Paganini's famous 24th caprice. With notes on their music by the composers, and comments on Paganini, Kreisler, and Bacewicz by Fenella, this is a personal, daring and exciting album of dazzling virtuosity.

Sunny Jain's Wild Wild East encompasses myriad facets of Jain's identity both as a first-generation South Asian-American and as a global musician, from his own family's immigration story to his eclectic musical upbringing. In recasting the immigrant-steeped in the courage to leave a familiar homeland for a new beginning-as the modern-day cowboy and cowgirl, Jain sources musical inspiration from the scores of Bollywood classics and Spaghetti Westerns, Indian folk traditions, jazz improvisation, and rollicking psychedelic and surf guitar styles. Wild Wild East is an album rooted in the contemporary American soundscape, singing in a new voice, InchI am large, I contain multitudes.Inch

Fenella Humphrey's new album is a characteristically searching and original one. InchThis album grew out of a longing to keep performing music that I was gifted, arranged or first discovered during the spring of 2020.Inch An album conceived during the uncertain months of the first lockdown, it is a portrait of an artist alone, with music for inspiration, sustenance and company. As with her previous Rubicon albums, the virtuosity on display is stunning.