Orchestra programmers have expressed in my presence a wish for more purely orchestral Britten works besides Young Person's Guide and Sinfonia da Requiem. The years after Britten's death have revealed considerably more in the composer's orchestral catalogue than was previously well known.

This one, in fact, was never exactly unknown. It is a 14-minute fantasia on four Canadian folk themes, including, inevitably, "Alouette, " in an amusingly warped variant. As a Hoosier, I am always struck by the fact that the opening tune's first seven notes are identical to those of "Back Home Again in Indiana."

The work is jaunty, attractive, and easy to follow. Looking for a good curtain raiser? Try this imaginative piece.

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