Philip Venables: Below The Belt Various soloists Melinda Maxwell oboe - Phoenix Piano Trio Ligeti Quartet - David Hoyle performance artist London Sinfonietta - Richard Baker conductor NMC D238 We can think of no better way to kickstart the second series of Debut Discs (NMC’s acclaimed showcase for gifted early-career composers) than this explosive new album by Philip Venables.   Venables is best known for his operatic and theatrical works, exploring themes of sexuality, violence and politics.   His music has been described as 'brutally effective' (The Times), 'duly playful and occasionally disturbing' (The Guardian), and 'a dark and violent portrait of sexual desire' (SoSoGay.com).   He made his Royal Opera debut with 4.48 Psychosis (dir. Ted Huffman) – the first ever permitted adaptation of any of Sarah Kane’s work – which won a UK Theatre Award, a Royal Philharmonic Society Award and a British Composer Award.   It was also nominated for both an Olivier Award and a Sky Arts Award. This album includes The Revenge of Miguel Cotto, a performance piece inspired by two boxers, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, and scored for ensemble, voices, and two punchbags.   Four miniatures, each inspired by one of Benjamin Britten’s Six Metamorphoses after Ovid for solo oboe (Melinda Maxwell) and Numbers, set to the poems of Simon Howard and mixing spoken text with chamber music.   The brilliant, ferocious and funny Illusions, featuring David Hoyle's impassioned rant about everything from politics and gender to sodomy and revolution, is the perfect showstopping finale to this eclectic release. TRACK LISTING       The Revenge of Miguel Cotto 01. love     2'23 02. fight     4'09 03. crushed Spanish     1'36 04. they are not like us     5'21 05. ban     0'17 06. Metamorphoses after Britten: I A mountain 2'54       Klaviertrio im Geiste       I [tacet] 07. II Adagio     3'42 08. III Scherzo     3'16 09. IV Rondo     4'37 10. Metamorphoses after Britten: II Fixation     1'33       Numbers 76-80: tristan und Isolde 11. I     3'32 12. II     6'02 13. III     4'52 14. Metamorphoses after Britten: III Flowers     3'14 15. Numbers 91-95     9'11 16. Metamorphoses after Britten: IV Fountains     1'47 17. Illusions     14'03       Total timing     73'16 NMC Recordings are distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading, P.O.Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone (03) 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile (03) 9444 6879