The Dutch cellist Pieter Wispelwey, invariably an inspired artist, here couples two of the greatest cello sonatas from the early Romantic period, both written in the 1840s. Much the stronger and more original of the two is the Mendelssohn, with its first movement as exhilarating as the comparable first movement of the Italian Symphony. That Paolo Giacometti has opted for a twangy fortepiano of the period may not add to the beauty of the performance but it makes for a better balance between the instruments than if a modern Steinway was used. It also allows for the pianist to articulate perfectly in really fast speeds.

The clarity and precision are also remarkable, whether in that first movement, the Allegretto second movement with its crisp pizzicatos, the lovely slow movement with spread chords accompanying the cello’s melody, or the busy, chattering finale. The Op 109 Song Without Words makes an attractive extra item.

The remarkable thing about the Chopin in this context is how like Mendelssohn it sounds, despite its piano flourishes, typical of the composer. The cross-rhythms in the second-movement Scherzo again sound like Mendelssohn, though the slow movement is less distinctive, leading to the dashing compound time of the finale. The three waltzes which come as a makeweight were all arranged by the cellist Karl Davydov, who studied with Mendelssohn, and they are among the most popular, starting with the so-called ‘Minute’ Waltz and continuing with the C sharp minor and the A flat, all played at breakneck speed – no doubt the intention of the virtuoso cellist Davydov. The sound is clear and well-balanced.