The three-movement Cymbeline is ‘a contemplation of our relationship with this fiery giver of life’ (the sun) for mandolin and string quartet. The opening movement’s shape-shifting melody suggests the flux of a sunrise; the work progresses to include thumping, folksy dances and cyclic meditation. Avi Avital’s glistening mandolin gives the music a Mediterranean feel but its very statelessness holds appeal, even if the movements could all have been shorter (the third, in particular, overstays its welcome at eight minutes).

There is a heavy mandolin presence, too, in the five songs of The North Wind was a Woman. Sometimes internal devices (notably glissandos) spice the simple structures nicely. At others, the music can feel limited, the charm of its simplicity stretched too far. The fourth song, with the repeating line ‘I am the moon’, leaps on to another plane, direct and never lingering, acute in structure and given a compelling delivery right to the last shriek by Nora Fischer, who elsewhere channels pure, Fair Isle-sweater folksiness.

The Consolation of Rain for ensemble demonstrates Bruce’s neat way with texture, colour and his music’s wide-eyed response to the world. It’s about precipitation, but also loss and the idea that nature is literally an incarnation of the dead who enter its soil. Big ideas like these are harboured in Bruce’s long gaze towards the horizon but there’s no denying his ambient chugging can leave you wanting more development, more event and more instances of opposition and depth. We get that in the beautiful, disquieting third movement when the melody goes places, counterpoint emerges and an ominous darkness stalks the texture from underneath.