Concert overture: Ebb of Winter

"The first thing that hits you is the sheer exuberance of this 20-minute tone poem. Inspired by the unpredictable, ever-changing Orkney weather, it dances with mercurial fluidity, long strains of sinewy melody constantly buffeted by luminous sprays of chattering brass and woodwind. A startling strain of warm-hearted Romanticism underpins everything, exerting a softening effect on some of the old Max austerity that lurks bullishly beneath the surface."
The Scotsman

"Maxwell Davies nimbly weaves material between instruments... There’s restlessness in the basses and frenetic, tangled winds that cut to hushed strings, as if a walker struggling through a fierce wind suddenly rounds a corner and finds peace.... Its impact is arresting and its haunting soundworld couldn’t be from the pen of any other composer."
The Guardian