Scottish composer and multi-instrumentalist Erland Cooper gave a stirring rendition of his latest work to a packed St Mary’s Church in Totnes on Friday (June 14).

The musician, who was accompanied by a highly talented string quintet, led by violinist Freya Goldmark, treated his audience to excerpts from his new album, Carve the Runes Then Be Content With Silence.

The build-up to Cooper’s album release created much anticipation as the master tape had been buried – or “planted”, according to him – for a year-and-a-half in The Orkneys as part of the creative process.

It was a huge gamble as Cooper made copies only of the score and not the recording.

Self-taught pianist Alex Kozobolis opened the show, setting the mood with distinctive swirling runs, like a butterfly flitting over a cascading waterfall.

But the main course was Cooper’s immersive show. Needless to say the master tape survived the ordeal and formed part of the experience – crackles and all.

Sitting at the piano, Cooper cleverly meshed together the digital tracks with poetry and story-telling, skilfully accompanied by the five classical virtuosos.

It was at times moving, but the melancholia underscoring much of Cooper’s ambient music was never allowed to dominate proceedings completely. During one of the pieces, the audience became active participants when the charismatic Orkney-born artist asked them to use their mobiles to play the sound of chirping birds.

Carve the Runes Then Be Content With Silence is due for release in September.