Avital is the Israeli mandolin virtuoso. He showed his class in an unlikely 2012 album of solo Bach. Now he is joined by very talented friends on accordion, harp, clarinet and other instruments in an entertaining programme of a dozen classical ''pops''.
It is entertainingly ''different'' in arrangements of Villa Lobos' Aria from Bachianas Brasilieras No.5 (solo accordion and double bass forming the ''orchestra''), Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances, a traditional Bulgarian melody, Piazolla's tango Fuga y Misterio, Bloch's spiritual Nigun and Falla's lively Siete Canciones Populares Espagnol.
There is a very new version of Dvorak's Finale from String Quartet No.12 ('American'), a traditional Welsh melody and Monti's Csardas with no violin in sight - an adventurous tour of musical worlds from east to west.
Highlight: Sentimental, romantic music in new versions.
Whaia Te Maramatanga. Rob Thorne (taonga puoro), Rattle CD
The conch shell and other types of trumpet, horn or flute are among them. It is hard to read gold type on fawn paper, but I needed more information. Pursue Enlightment is one of the three suites of mystical sounds that total 15 tracks, so I searched the internet (finding only ''paradise duck'' for ''putangitangi'').
Thorne claims ancient practices are ''actively reborn'' in his music and the instruments have ''healing power''. They make interesting sounds, nicely recorded in an ethereal way. Richard Nunns assists on pururehua (known to Pakeha as the ''bullroarer'' whirling sound.)
Highlight: ''Magical'' sounds evoke a natural world.
