The Moments in Time of the title here refers to the ever-imaginative John McLeod’s tribute to Messiaen’s 1941 Quartet for the End of Time. Scored for the same instruments – violin, clarinet, cello and piano – the piece also reflects on conflict and time, though McLeod is concerned with the twin towers rather than the second world war. Violent and fragmented, the first movement is uncomfortably visceral, before giving way to a calmly beautiful threnody, tastefully played by Red Note Ensemble. The rest of the disc is taken up with a survey of the 81-year-old composer’s four testingly virtuosic “songs” – instrumental chamber pieces based on classical mythology which showcase, respectively, violin, percussion, clarinet and cello. There is some outstanding playing here, but the taped laughter weaved into The Song of Phryne is just plain irritating.
