Yet another excellent record of the Mozart horn concertos from another excellent British soloist with a fluent lyrical style, especially striking in the slow movements of K417 and 447, which are moved on rather more than usual but do not sound rushed because of the easy flexibility of the phrasing. The crisp, neat finales are attractive too, especially that of K447 which is airy and graceful. Jonathan Williams's timbre is lighter than that of either Barry Tuckwell on Decca (who comes nearest to assuming the Dennis Brain mantle) or Michael Thompson (BBC Records). Needless to say the contribution of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe is a pleasure in itself, the phrasing warm and elegant and the partnership with the soloist (who is ideally balanced) very close—witness the first movement of K417, where the secondary theme sounds so gracious after the nicely pointed articulation of the soloist. The recording too is first class, combining immediacy with ambient bloom, the strings notably sweet. However, the BBC record includes a fragment of another concerto which gives it a competitive edge.
It is fair to say that both Thompson and Tuckwell have slightly stronger instrumental personalities, though Williams is by no means self-effacing and those who enjoy horn tone which is very cleanly focused without too much spread will find him a highly musical and sympathetic Mozartian. His pointed style is especially delightful in the finale of the least-known D major Concerto, K412.'