Pierre-Antoine Savoyat pays tribute to French impressionist music of the 20th century – and the compositional giants of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel as well as lesser known but equally important figures such as Maurice Emmanuel or Raoul Bardac.

The work comprises four movements that evoke an impressionist view of a journey through different countries as if in a child’s dream; the cyclical themes first introduced by flugel echoing a process used by both Ravel and Debussy, notably in their string quartets.

‘Prélude à un Pays Lointain’ (Prelude to a Distant Land) is an imaginary Asian landscape of nebulous imagery and evocations before opening into clarity and resolution.

‘Cortège Fabuleux' (Fabulous Procession) that follows evoked a parade of exotic animals, jugglers and magicians – drawing ever near and more intriguing – the promise of mystery and danger, joviality and fantasy ever present.

It leads into ‘Dialogue du Vent et des Montagnes’ (Dialogue of the Wind and the Mountains) which pays homage to the finale of Debussy’s ‘La Mer: Dialogue du Vent et de la Mer’ of a rising sun breaking the tempest of a blizzard over epic mountainous terrain

The work closes with ‘Feria’ (Fair) a joyful evocation of the festivals in the Basque country where Ravel was born; revelry and excess that is brought to a conclusion of Ravel inspired colour.