Peter Philips was the most famous English composer of his time, and only Byrd, a generation older, had more compositions published. Much of Philips's life was spent on the Continent, where he wrote music of intricate, text-conscious colour, both deeply expressive and architecturally powerful. His motets and anthems, whether celebratory, meditative or dramatic, embrace the widest range of feeling and texture.

Puerto Rican composer and guitarist Ernesto Cordero dedicated his Concierto Festivo to celebrated soloist Pepe Romero, who describes the work as having 'divine inspiration'. These works derive their warmth of expression and rhythmic influence from the composer's native Caribbean island, and the two violin concertos ?nsula and Concerto Tropical both contain descriptive elements from landscape and nature. ?nsula is dedicated to renowned violinist and conductor Guillermo Figueroa, and I Solisti di Zagreb are recognised as one of the world's leading chamber orchestras.

The Bridge Duo's warmly received recital disc of English Music for Viola (8572579) is joined here by a programme of York Bowen's brilliant pieces for viola and piaNo.This new recording will provide fresh impetus to these relatively under-represented masterpieces.

Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestral genius shines through in his colourful operatic suites, and that from his final opera Le Coq d'or is richly dramatic and expressive. The complicated folk-based story of the Snow Maiden is simplified into four enchanting movements, and that of Sadko into a single, radiantly descriptive tone-poem. The thrilling legend of Mlada is represented by vivid dances and a final Cortège.

A pupil of Massenet and Fauré, the prolific French composer and teacher Charles Koechlin expanded traditional harmonies and compositional techniques and was much admired by his contemporaries.

Les heures persanes was inspired by Vers Ispahan, Pierre Loti's diary of a journey through Persia.

Oriental atmospheres are recreated through cycles of day and night, and in piano writing completely new for its time.