This three-movement work reflects the character of the wunderkammer, or Cabinet of Curiosities, which flourished between the 16th to 18th centuries: ’in this labyrinthine landscape, I found a natural context to construct my own private collection of musical objects, ciphers, and quotations. The volatile and virtuosic textures of the work are created by demanding soloistic agility from each performer. Whilst being required to fit seamlessly together to form complex musical surfaces the musicians are also set belligerently strident and dramatic roles. The concerto form (kammerkonzert) proved a natural arena for such contradictory tensions that seek resolution through metamorphosis.’
(Kenneth Hesketh)