British composer Mark-Anthony Turnage is widely admired for his distinctive blending of jazz and contemporary classical traditions, high energy and elegiac lyricism. His music is colourful, rhythmic and always distinctive, with an innate dramatic sense. Powerful in its contrasts, his music and texts hold up a mirror to the realities of modern life and make a broad appeal to an enquiring contemporary audience.

Turnage was the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Composer in Residence from 2005–10, during which time the Orchestra released two highly acclaimed CDs of his orchestral music. This is the third and final volume of Turnage’s music to be released on the LPO Label. It features five works recorded for the first time, including the world première peformance of his violin concerto Mambo, Blues and Tarantella with soloist Christian Tetzlaff. The CD also features performances by soloists Lawrence Power (viola) and Michael Collins (clarinet).

Recorded at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall: On Opened Ground 19 October 2011, Texan Tenebrae 17 April 2010, Riffs and Refrains 13 Feb 2008, Mambo, Blues and Tarantella 24 September 2008. Lullaby for Hans recorded at Snape Maltings, 1 April 2007.

‘With Collins in top form, as adept at sudden entries as wonderfully sustained passages, the different sections of this fine orchestra savoured the chance to showcase their skills, the strings as silky as the woodwind were ethereal and the brass, well, brassy.’ - Anthony Holden, The Observer, 17 February 2008 on the première performance of Riffs and Refrains