Poul Ruders' Concerto in Pieces commemorates both Henry Purcell and the 50th Anniversary of the first performance of Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. Like Britten, Ruders takes a theme from Purcell's theater music, in this case the Witches' Chorus from the beginning of the second act of Dido and Aeneas. He subjects this somewhat minimalist theme to a series of brilliant and resourceful variations, culminating in the obligatory (but certainly not perfunctory) fugue. The scoring includes wonderful solos for harp, muted trumpet, and saxophone, as well as some tastefully integrated electronics. Alternately witty, warm, and wild, Concerto in Pieces is a masterpiece on a par with Britten's own. Andrew Davis and the BBC Symphony Orchestra offer a dazzling performance that, in its way, is every bit as fine as that of Wagner's Flute Concerto.

Both works are very well recorded, and Bridge tosses in interviews with both composers to fill up the otherwise short playing time. Had Dunkel's legato been smoother, this would have been a "10". Hopefully, flutists everywhere will take a good, hard look at this impressive addition to a repertoire desperately in need of distinguished new works.