Mosaic for harp and ensemble was composed for the Nash Ensemble in 2005, and is a miniature concerto in all but name… There's an irrepressible verve about the writing, as there is about the more astringent 2004 Dialogues for piano and ensemble - the Canadian performers capture it vividly.

Naxos's second Carter birthday offering concentrates on the later works, only two of which are at all substantial: Dialogues for piano and ensemble, composed for the London Sinfonietta in 2004, and Mosaic for harp and ensemble, written for the Nash Ensemble the following year. They are both typically deft, slightly prickly pieces - Dialogues, in particular, has a musical density that is disguised by its modest dimensions - and the rest of the disc is taken up with a series of the instrumental miniatures Carter has produced over the last two decades, often as birthday offerings for friends and fellow composers. The Canadian performances are all highly accomplished, and the release also includes a DVD containing a filmed interview with Carter, as well as concert performances of Mosaic and Dialogues.