A beautiful selection of chamber music pieces by Ukraine's foremost living composer: Valentyn Slivestrov (b 1937). It is music full of intimacy and gentleness, imbued with a deep spirituality. Daniel Rowland (violin) and Borys Fedorov (piano), close acquaintances to the composer, are the best possible interpreters of this gorgeous music.

Alfred Schnittke and Arvo Prt have both called the Ukrainian Valentyn Silvestrov "one of the greatest composers of our time". He is also one of its true originals; though a leading figure in the former Soviet Union's avant-garde in the 1960s, he subsequently came to realise that "the most important lesson of the avant-garde was to be free of all preconceived ideas particularly those of the avant-garde.

Over time, Silvestrov's compositional practice evolved into what he would come to call his "metaphorical style" or "meta-music". The composer wishes his works to be seen as "codas" to musical history: "I do not write new music. My music is a response to and an echo of what already exists."

"Music is still song, even if one cannot literally sing it: it is not a philosophy, not a world-view. It is, above all, a chant, a song the world sings about itself, it is the musical testimony to life." - Valentyn Silvestrov

"I do not know of another composer who writes with this degree of intimacy - his timeless melodies, often barely a whisper, are consoling, haunting, full of nostalgia and mystery. Borys Fedorov: To escape from the oppressive bustle, to immerse yourself in the magical world of silence, like a highly sensitive antenna picking up the subtlest vibrations of the universe, which immediately resonate in the soul, giving renewal and enlightenment. Such unique possibilities are opened up in music by Valentyn Silvestrov, a great artist and a great humanist! Playing his music requires a special filigree and jewel-like precision, as well as spirituality and freedom." - Daniel Rowland