Artur Pizarro pf Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra / Julia Jones

Odradek

There are huge number of recordings of the Beethoven concertos, so one of the things that distinguishes them is their choice of couplings. Artur Pizarro has picked a selection of solo piano pieces – the two Romances in Ernst Pauer's able if unexciting transcriptions, the evergreen Andante favori and two Rondos – all played with consummate skill and nice observation of each piece's structure. Sadly, however, the close miking of these solo items is a touch airless.

The Concertos fare rather better and show the grander side of Beethoven's – and Pizarro's – artistry. Pizarro and Julia Jones make a fine and musical partnership, the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra proving exemplary accompanists. Their mutual understanding is evident from the outset of No 1 and runs unbroken through all five concertos which, taken as a set, are at a high level of achievement. If not quite a match for Bavouzet's self-directed cycle with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (Chandos), this is a set to enthral and entertain. Pizarro's touch is beautifully judged throughout, whether in the fire and passion of the outer movements of Nos 1 and 3, or in the lighter, quasi-Mozartian textures of the Second. In the slow central movements, he catches tellingly the lyrical heart of each line. In the Fourth, he avoids overplaying the pioneering unaccompanied introduction, and Jones and he shine in the Andante con moto – not so much Orpheus calming the Furies as pleading and negotiating with them for Peace.

The Third and Fifth Concertos are perhaps the best and most balanced performances with no loss of energy in their forward momentum. It should be added that the five are played quite straightforwardly, with no interpretative gimmicks, alternative readings or unusual tempi. Pizarro's booklet note suggests this was a happy project for him, which can be heard reflected in the performances.