The Berlin Rag evokes the rich harmonic sound-world of 1920s Berlin and contemporary jazz, fused with the technique of American Ragtime. The scoring is highly colouristic in nature, and has avoided any weighty doublings. There are also many solo opportunities for all the principal players, either chamber-like combinations, duets or solo lines. The magical crunchy effect of the tutti band is reserved until the end where it is finally released in a blaze of brass writing, spiked with timpani and percussion.
