“Montgomery’s “Records From a Vanishing City” references the literal record collection of the family friend to whom it is dedicated. Thus, its musical surface is constantly swirling with unexpected colors and rhythms — shades of jazz, classical, avant-garde and Caribbean music overlay and tint each other with neighborly ease. (The work is particularly inspired by a traditional Angolan lullaby and responsorial chant.)

It’s a beautiful piece of music, and Heyward nudged it toward stunning, making deft, delicate work of its finely woven opening, ribboned with clarinets and shrouded in gauzy strings. Streaks of trombone hung over busy bass and claps of percussion as Heyward ramped up the tempo and intensity. A kaleidoscopic thrust of horns introduced a gorgeously prolonged passage of softly breathing strings and silky solos from Harrison Miller on bassoon, Andrew Balio on trumpet, Jaewon Kim on clarinet and Holly Jenkins on violin.”