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His early work is sometimes evocative of Igor Stravinsky and Olivier Messiaen ( composers he has acknowledged as influences ) and his technique of juxtaposing blocks of sound is sometimes compared to that of Edgar Varèse.

His early pieces made frequent use of ostinati and often had a ritualistic feel.

These have been toned down in recent decades as he has adapted and transformed the techniques into more subtle methods.

With its strong emphasis on rhythm, the music is often described as brutal or violent, but this analysis mistakes the strong sound world for an attempt to evoke violent actions.

The explicit violence of his first opera Punch and Judy – in which the murder of Judy by her husband is much more shocking when performed live on stage than by glove puppets in the classic British seaside entertainment – can easily be misinterpreted as a clue to the intention of his abstract music.

The style is stark and uncompromising.