Oliver Davis

Arcadia; The Infinite Ocean;

The Elements; Gemini; Suite for Piano and Orchestra; Inferno Benjamin Baker, Kerenza Peacock (violin), Huw Watkins (piano); The Hanke Brothers; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/paul Bateman

Signum Classics SIGCD 590 61:28 mins Oliver Davis (b1972) writes music that is easy on the ears, full of warm harmonies and buoyant rhythms. There’s no denying, though, a general lack of oomph and rigour in the works featured here.

The disc opens with The Infinite Ocean (2018), a ballet score for solo violin and orchestra cast in six brief movements. Violinist Benjamin Baker and the Royal Philharmonic bring colour and precision to this otherwise feel-good work featuring Vivaldi-esque figuration and sweeping cinematic melodies. A similar predictability pervades much of the Suite for Piano and Orchestra, although the third movement features some enjoyable contrapuntal interplay between orchestra and piano, and Huw Watkins draws admirable light and shade from the solo part. Gemini for violin and strings has a touch more interest in its often-melancholic first movement, where Kerenza Peacock’s soaring solo is especially sumptuous, and she shines again in the folk fiddle-inspired second movement.

The disc closes with The

Elements composed for four-part ensemble The Hanke Brothers who perform on recorder, viola/ cajon, piano and tuba/violin. This novel instrumentation brings some welcome piquancy to the score, especially in the playfully fragmented ‘Fire’. Kate Wakeling PERFORMANCE ★★★ RECORDING ★★★