Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

It is usually wise not to judge a CD by its sleeve but in this case I am going to make an exception. Whoever selected "Stones" by Olga Lybukina knew exactly what they were doing. The picture of three stones piled one upon another seems almost Zen-like in its abstraction and reminds us of Sir John Tavener's interest in Eastern mysticism but when we remember that the Church is built upon a rock and start to reflect upon the sacred mystery of the Holy Trinity we might need to think again about how we classify this release. Sir John's piano works are less well known than his large orchestral, vocal and choral compositions, yet at times they seem to mark his stylistic and spiritual development on a more personal level. The earliest work in this collection is "Palin" (1977) and it foreshadows the composer's search for spirituality. The loss of his beloved pets inspired "Mandoodles", depicting scenes from the life of his cat Mandu, and the bell-like "In Memory Of Two Cats". "Ypakoe", with passages in Greek and Middle Eastern styles, is a contemplative reflection on the Passion of the Christ. "Patirupa", Sanskrit for "reflection", lasts almost half an hour and is, to date, the composer's largest work for solo piano and is, in his words, "an attempt to reflect the most beautiful, the Divine Presence which resides in every human being." Ralph van Raat provides an excellent commentary to the music and plays with great sensitivity. Those who know and love Tavener's music will find this super-budget release a useful addition to their collection. Those who are new to Tavener are advised to start their exploration elsewhere, unless they have a special interest in contemporary piano music.