Christopher Gunning, born in 1944, is best known for his music for TV advertisements and drama piogiammcs, this being the first CD devoted exclusively to his recent serious compositions. It has the advantage of an excellent recording, and as the composer proves himself to be a more than efficient conductor of his own works, we may admire the authenticity of the performances. It is also clear that Olga Dudnik is a gifted pianist, who plays with style and virtuosity when called upon.

The Piano Concerto was written in 2001 and is in three movements. There are varied influences to be discerned in this work, notably from Stravinsky and Prokofiev, and whilst the writing is effective and the composer possesses added qualities of clarity and directness of expression, the material itself does not have the memorability of Gunning's work in popular areas. On the other hand, the layout of this piece uses inherently traditional structures with considerable assurance, and the orchestration is admirably natural.

Gunning uses a fuller orchestra in the Symphony, which comes from 2002 and is similarly assured in its handling of colour and structure. This one-movement work is in five broad sections and reflects a genuine sense of growth in the broadest sense which justifies the composition's title. The influences hete range from post-minimalism Malcolm Arnold and Shostakovich to placing too great a reliance on ostinato in the generating of such tensions as the work possesses. We are forced back on the lack of truly distinctive thematic invention, which is the most serious criticism I can make, as my anticipations are often too readily met.

Storm! sounds like ten minutes of music from a 1970s Hollywood disaster movie. Many listeners, however, will be attracted by Gunning's undoubted musicality and his variegated mastery of the orchestra.

ROBERT MATTHEW-WALKER