After recordings of Wagner, Weber and Humperdinck for Pentatone, Mascagni might seem like a bit of a detour for Marek Janowski, here at the helm of his Dresden orchestra. And it’s fair to say that, though he directs an enjoyable, unfailingly musical account of the work, he hardly gets down and dirty with this prototypical verismo score.

At the centre of the recording, admittedly, there’s a superbly hushed and moving account of the famous Intermezzo, and the playing of the violins, in particular, is unfailingly expressive. Janowski is best at capturing the score’s gentle rusticity, as well its moments of sadness. He’s big on forward momentum (this recording lasts a whole 15 minutes less than Karajan’s famous DG account, for example) and unusually observant of Mascagni’s markings.

That said, I find his decision to employ ritardandos in the big tune of the Brindisi only when they’re explicitly marked – going against performance tradition, and not least against what Mascagni himself does in his 1940 recording – somewhat perverse. Elsewhere, several orchestral flourishes are either underwhelming or even scrappy, in the case of the violas’ and cellos’ chromatic run-up to Santuzza’s ‘A te la mala Pasqua’.

The conductor has gathered together three American principals who want nothing for decibels but are not always ideal. Melody Moore’s Santuzza is the finest: it’s a sympathetic characterisation and she sings generously and grandly, with plenty of rich, vibrant tone, even if I would like to hear more legato in her phrasing. Brian Jagde’s Turiddu, though, is unvariegated and unstintingly loud, with a voice that is impressive in its volume but rarely seductive in its opaque tone. Lester Lynch is a solid Alfio but lacks dramatic and vocal incisiveness.

The other roles are well taken, and Pentatone’s sound is airy and appealing. But as a whole this Cav, though often refreshing and affecting, isn’t wholly convincing.