January 17 sees the release by Heritage Records of a CD of remastered recordings of two important orchestral works by Naresh Sohal. The first of these is his 1982 Proms piece, The Wanderer, a setting of the Anglo-Saxon poem. A weary warrior who has lost the lord to whom he owed his allegiance, roams the earth hoping to find sanctuary elsewhere. He reflects on the transitory nature of this world and all its works, realising that, ultimately, his existential quest leads to a state of emptiness.

The forces Sohal marshals here are immense, involving vast sweeps of orchestral colour. His ability to deal so adroitly with such forces is remarkable. The premiere was given by the BBC orchestra and chorus under the baton of Sir Andrew Davis with David Wilson Johnson as the baritone soloist who brings great plangency to the role of the wanderer. This truly is a landmark recording.

The second work is Asht Prahar, Sohal's first ever publicly performed orchestral work. Here, he gives a musical account of one day, divided into eight parts (asht prahar), according to Indian tradition. The piece shows the composer experimenting on his own terms with the language of the avant-garde, and is indicative of the confidence and love of orchestral colour that he would go on to demonstrate in later works. The work is a remarkable accomplishment for someone at the start of his career. This recording features the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra with, once again, Sir Andrew Davis as the conductor. Jane Manning provides a thrilling bravura flourish towards the end of the piece. The whole venture gives a sense of the innovation and enthusiasm that prevailed in British music of the time.'

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