Although his prowess as a choral conductor has long been recognised, Gregory Rose had not received his due as a composer until the redoubtable Toccata Classics took up his cause...Anyone for whom imagination and pragmatism can coexist without compromise will find much to enjoy and intrigue here. Pithy and acerbic, [the Seven Dances] also form an engaging taster for the parent work – one of Rose’s most audacious and a high point of music theatre this past quarter-century

Rose’s Violin Concerto combines leanness in the solo writing with orchestral textures which contrast (and sometimes blend) warmth with austerity. I make no bones about the fact that I really like this kind of aesthetic; I will certainly return to this fine concerto. Performance and sound seem ideal….Admirers of Toccata’s series dedicated to this composer need not hesitate; other fans of new British music will find plenty to turn their heads.

All approachable if not obvious, for there is a decided whimsical/experimental/improvisatory quality, slightly Stockhausen-ish in concept, that may be found engaging or something of a conundrum; music of suggestion that can be dance-like, if sometimes angular...the composer is conducting a responsive Royal Ballet Sinfonia in top-notch accounts, the sound is splendid, and the annotations are generous and informative.