Dedicated to Peter Maxwell Davies, whose own engagement with Medieval and Tudor music was so influential to Knussen’s generation, this characterful 10-minute work for antiphonically divided chamber orchestra is bookended by two elegant, jewel-like arrangements of sixteenth-century puzzle canons attributed to John Lloyd. In between, two short variation movements see Knussen exploring the same musical material in his own inimitable voice.

…a stunning palette of orchestral colour

The Independent (Michael John White), 1 April 1988