I have a lot of time for Pekka Kuusisto’s fine version of the Sibelius Violin Concerto with Leif Segerstam (Ondine, 5/96). Sad to say, his new recording of Sibelius’s entrancing Six Humoresques is much less to my liking, pungently characterised to be sure, but self-consciously brilliant and attention-seeking to a fault.

To my ears, Kuusisto’s lean, comparatively unvaried tone is not of the most alluring and these mannered performances severely lack wistful charm, expressive ardour and selfless glow (he’s no match for Rosand, Accardo and Ralph Holmes – all sadly unavailable at present). It’s a similar tale in the Two Serenades. I’d personally stick with Kang (BIS, 2/91) or Tetzlaff (Virgin Classics, 4/03), both of whom also include the haunting Op 77 diptych for violin and orchestra. Like Tetzlaff, Kuusisto includes the lightweight Suite from 1929, the composer’s last work to be assigned an opus number and of no great consequence (not for nothing did Sibelius mark the manuscript “not to be published”).

Contrary to what’s printed on the sleeve, the booklet informs us that Kuusisto doesn’t actually conduct the suite from Swanwhite but is “simply playing the violin along with everyone else in front of the orchestra”. The orchestral playing is without flaw, the approach markedly cool (some would say downright chilly), and the disc as whole seems destined to ruffle feathers like this same group’s all-Sibelius anthology under Tuomas Ollila (Ondine, 11/00). Clean, if unatmospheric sound. Definitely one to sample before you buy.