The Moon & The Forest

The pair of original concertos featured here were written for Montenegrin guitarist Miloš Karadaglić by two of today’s most exciting composing voices, and they bring the star player back to the studio on an album celebrating his ten years of music-making. Multi-faceted British composer Joby Talbot draws on his extensive experience in film and TV for the symphonic Ink Dark Moon. Magical, mysterious atmospheres flit and dance, framing sudden bursts of flamenco, minimalist rhythmic energy and even moments of rock music intensity. Orchestra and soloist are completely at one, each feeding off the other in thrilling musical exchanges. Canadian soundtrack composer Howard Shore (The Lord of the Rings, The Departed) takes inspiration for his brooding concerto The Forest from the oakwood that surrounds his home. Its intense European folk flavours nod, too, to Karadaglić’s Montenegrin homeland and Rodrigo’s 1939 guitar masterpiece, Concierto de Aranjuez, hints of which can be heard throughout. This is a stylish and compelling album.