In Greek mythology Niobe was the daughter of Tantalus and wife of Amphion King of Thebes. She unwisely boasted to Leto about her many sons and daughters. Leto who only had two children Apollo and Artemis was angered. As punishment Apollo slew Niobe's sons and Artemis her daugters. Out of pity for Niobe's inconsolable grief the Gods changed her into a rock in which form she continued to weep.In this work for solo Oboe and tape the solo Oboe takes the part of Niobe bitterly lamenting her murdered children. The tape with the distant high voices and the slow tolling bells (and later gong) is intended to provide an evocative and descriptiveaccompaniment.Niobe was commissioned by the Park Lane Group. The first performance took place at the Park Lane Concerts in January 1988.

The magnificent interweaving of harmonies and dialogue-like Voices in Handel’s For Unto Us A Child Is Born make it a perfect addition to the festive choral repertoire. German-born British Baroque composer George Frideric Handel originally composed this piece in 1741 for the English-language oratorio Messiah which eventually became one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music. As the last song of Scene 3 of Part I of the oratorio which addresses Isaiah's specific prophecy about the virgin birth of a Messiah For Unto Us A Child Is Born tells the news of Christmas thebirth of a son in Isaiah’s words as found in the Scripture (Isaiah 9:6). The delicate familiar theme is introduced by the Sopranos and taken up by their counter-voices the Tenors later the same dialog is given over to the Altos and Basses. The tutti culminates in 'Wonderful' 'Counselor' 'The Mighty God' 'The Everlasting Father' and 'The Prince of Peace'.