Although Walter Leigh’s charming and joyfully contrapuntal Concertino has seen several fine recordings (Neville Dilkes – EMI/Warner, 4/72 – and the pioneering Decca 78s with Kathleen Long on piano – Dutton, 6/48, 11/01), the present version boasts superior soloist/ensemble rapport in regard to Jory Vinikour’s crisp articulation and the finesse of the Chicago Philharmonic’s string section under Scott Speck. In moments when you think you’re settling into minimalist comfort zones, Michael Nyman’s Harpsichord Concerto quickly shatters your expectations as he steers rhythmic patterns in different directions or abruptly changes the mood and the subject (the declamatory unison string melody at 1'22" in the fourth section). While an air of authenticity unquestionably permeates the composer-led premiere recording featuring the late Elisabeth Chojnacka as soloist (EMI/Warner, 11/97), Vinikour and Speck deliver more exciting and vibrant results all around. Interestingly, Ned Rorem’s early and recently rediscovered 1947 Concertino (recorded for the first time here) holds more interest for its diverse instrumentation (the imaginative trumpet licks, for example) than for its relatively notey and anonymous harpsichord-writing.

Viktor Kalabis’s three-movement 1974 75 Concerto (written for his wife, the legendary Zuzana Růžičková) is the disc’s most substantial and serious work, showcasing the harpsichord’s textural scope to extremes, from the Allegro vivo’s relentless toccata-like patterns to the central slow movement’s long lines with slow repeated notes. Also note how the first-movement cadenza makes striking use of sparse passagework and silences. Vinikour and Speck obviously revel in Kalabis’s colourful scoring, abetted by the engineering’s vivid detailing. Some collectors, however, might favour the distant perspective and transparent lightness of Růžičková's 1980 recording with the Prague Chamber Orchestra (Supraphon, 7/13), which benefits from a slightly faster, more animated finale.

Vinikour’s booklet notes discuss the music extensively and include personal reflections about the composers and the performers associated with these four works, along with a moving dedication to the memory of Kalabis and Růžičková, who must be beaming with pride, wherever they are.