In Mr. Platt's staging, the four dark-hued madrigals of the "Lamento" are separated by other, generally brighter Monteverdi madrigals, as well as instrumental works mostly by Monteverdi's contemporaries (with a few decidedly more recent interpolations, among them the "Promenade" from Musorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition").
By contrast the more than 460 late-Baroque "Concerti" composed by the Italian Antonio Vivaldi from the first half of the 18th century are purely instrumental works, mostly three-movement cycles (fast slow fast) for one to four soloists and strings with or without other orchestral instruments.
In Part 4 excerpts from Madame Curie's diary and from her acceptance speech upon winning the Nobel Prize in 1911 are spoken (by Elina Lowensohn) as the orchestra slowly heaves in a rocking pattern that tosses chords between instrumental groups, one mostly comprising strings and low brass, the other mostly winds and percussion.
Mirroring the black-and-white sophistication of the era the film was set in, Rhys only uses instruments available in that period, to create a mostly instrumental record that reminds the listener that beyond his role as the Super Furry indie kook icon, there is a truly maverick – albeit always understated – composer at work.
Mr. Birgisson and Mr. Somers created the album's ravishing, mostly instrumental music by digitally manipulating the sounds of acoustic instruments.
His instrumental works consist mostly of sonatas, concertos, and sinfonias for various instruments.
Called "The Blue Flowers: Between Blue and Blue — 54 Madlib Beats," the mix, which is mostly instrumental, presents a valid argument to the depths of his skills, and will appeal to fans both of instrumental hip-hop and '60s and '70s soul, funk and jazz.
It's mostly instrumental, although his occasional, fragile vocals recall the Durutti Column's Vini Reilly.
His mostly instrumental album "Tarefero de Mis Pagos: Songs From the Red Land" (Piranha) sometimes points toward South America, sometimes toward Europe.
More surprising still, If… is a joy, its 10 mostly instrumental tracks proving both intimate and powerful.
