The not inconsiderable literature on Cardew frequently gives a view of him (merely) as a ‘man of ideas’, rather than as a composer of music whose qualities need no moral support from their conceptual infrastructure, and which may be judged on the same level as any music by composers less concerned than he was with the nature and status of themselves and their work.

A composer can't, and shouldn't, expect to please everybody. What is really important to me is whether what I've produced is exactly what I mean, and on that I'm prepared to stand. That doesn't imply, of course, that I don't think that some of my works are better than others – that is inevitable. One of the problems in modern music is that some composers tend to feel that they should be saying what they ought to mean; they're thinking about the process of writing too much, and relying too little on the tremendous power of the instinct, which must be trusted in the end.

Philip Grange celebrates his fiftieth birthday this year. Camden Reeves talked to the composer about the ideas, influences and sources of inspiration behind his music.

MURAIL: Complete Piano Works. Marilyn Nonken (pno). Metier MSV CD92097 (2-CD set).

ELLIOTT CARTER: Dialogues; Boston Concerto; Cello Concerto; ASKO Concerto. Nicolas Hodges (pno), Fred Sherry (vlc), London Sinfonietta, BBC Symphony Orchestra, ASKO Ensemble, c. Oliver Knussen. Bridge 9184.

BRIAN FERNEYHOUGH: Shadowtime. Nicolas Hodges (pno, speaker), Mats Scheidegger (gtr), Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, Nieuw Ensemble, c. Jurjen Hempel. NMC D123 (2-CD set).

BENNETT: The Mines of Sulphur. Kristopher Irmiter, Beth Clayton, Brandon Jovanovich, James Maddalena, Caroline Worra; Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra; c. Stewart Robinson. Chandos CHSA 5036(2)