Two by two Animals and music, with BASIL RAMSEY Metier    MSV CD92036

Record anthologies are extremely difficult to assemble, not for lack of material but the agonies of selecting works that group together without some seriously distracting attention from the rest.

I think it fair to applaud the choice of songs here to embroider the poetic idea of animals and their place in creation. Firstly, it is fortunate that the composers appear to have chosen from a plentiful supply of verse, and themselves to be widely varied in musical style.

Included are Edward Harper, Lyell Cresswell, Kenneth Leighton, Sally Beamish, Roger Williams [listen -- track 13, 0:00-0:44], and David Johnson. It seems a pity that one good soprano undertakes the content complete, whereas a second voice, perhaps male, would have provided a welcome contrast of timbre. The instruments used are recorder, harpsichord, and cello.

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