Four substantial orchestral works by John Woolrich: The Barber's Timepiece, inspired by a short story by Italo Calvino; the Oboe Concerto, featuring Nicholas Daniel; The Ghost in the Machine, which explores the idea of order sliding into chaos; and the Viola Concerto, which is structured as a cycle of 'songs without words', alluding to Tristan, Mozart's Idomeneo and Cosi fan tutte, Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte and madrigals by Monteverdi.

Nicholas Daniels oboe
Lars Anders Tomter viola
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins conductor

AUDIO

Catalogue number: NMC D071
Release date: 1 June 2001