My friend and former colleague, Craig First, is not only a wonderful teacher but also a first-rate composer. This work, Shadow Play, masterfully played here by David Andrews, is a great example of First's control of pacing and momentum as this technically brilliant work builds into an astonishing, veritable frenzy. The other works on the CD (including another by First, two works by Stefan Hakenberg, and one by Michalis Lapidakis) are all performed wonderfully and give good insight into contemporary compositional thought. It is not surprising, of course, that the CD is issued by Capstone Records—long a leading light and prime source for truly contemporary works.