Sallinen, Takemitsu and Penderecki are three of the most influential composers of the twentieth century. Born in Finland, Aulis Sallinen has made a major contribution in all genres, from opera to chamber music, his command of orchestral tone-colours yielding fascinating music. Born three years earlier in Japan, Tōru Takemitsu has become one of the most highly acclaimed composers of our time, with music that blends East and West. Krzysztof Penderecki took Polish music to the extremes of modernism with a steady flow of thought-provoking compositions, before moving on to his current melodic period.

While Penderecki’s Concerto is typically eclectic, Sallinen portrays Harlequin in a finale of outrageous humour and virtuosity. Takemitsu, however, explores the beauty of the flute’s sonorities in an Eastern setting.