The Unbeaten Tracks series has made a profound mark on the music world with its volumes of specially commissioned pieces for intermediate-level players. The eight pieces in this volume are written in a kaleidoscopic mix of styles by some of today's most talented composers and are undoubtedly destined to become standard repertoire. There are also small 'Biopics' about each composer. These give titbits of information about the composer's inspiration and intention for their piece and offer musicians a greater insight into the music.

Poul Ruders: Occam’s Razor contains 8 short pieces for Oboe and Guitar expertly composed by Poul Ruders. The title Occam’s Razor dose not pay any direct correlation to the music itself but to the term used by many physicists that describes the use of the simple solution over a more complex alternative. The Danish composer Poul Ruders has created a large body of music ranging from opera and orchestral works through chamber vocal and solo music.

Temporal Variations for Oboe And Piano was first performed on 15th December 1936 at the Wigmore hall in London under the different name of Temporal Suite. Although Britten was pleased with the work no further performance took place in his lifetime. The piece now though has earned it's place among Britten's most favoured pieces for Oboe and continues to delight audiences to the present day.

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.