BRIAN FERNEYHOUGH (b.1943): Lemma-Icon-Epigram, GEORGE BENJAMIN (b.1960): Shadowlines - 6 Canonic Preludes, FRIEDRICH CERHA (b.1926): Für Marina (gestörte Meditation), Slowaksche Errinerungen aus der Kindheit Nos. 5, 9 & 30, KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN (1928-2007): Klavierstück V, 3. Stunde - Natürliche Dauern No. 5 from Klang - die 24 Stunden des Tages, JOHN CAGE (1912-1992): One.

Description: These live performances are taken from a series of concerts based around music by Cerha, in the context of that of several of his contemporaries. The main Cerha piece is 'Für Marino', written for the occasion, a gently meandering meditation interrupted by passionate outbursts. This and the finely crafted Benjamin preludes sound positively conventional in pianistic terms alongside the effusive modernism of Stockhausen and Ferneyhough, admittedly represented by works that acknowledge the piano tradition as much as these composers ever have. The other Cerha miniatures are simple, folk-like melodies, charming and not at all 'modern'. A strange essay and illustrations in the booklet concerning pets in the audience try to introduce a performance art element to the proceedings, of which no trace is audible in the recording. Marino Formenti (piano).