Nearly a quarter of a century since recording Britten’s three Solo Suites (Erato, 4/01) and re-recording the Cello Symphony (12/99), Truls Mørk at last commits the Cello Sonata to disc. In the interim, his tone has become even richer, more finely shaded and, best of all, his phrasing is now more elastic. Indeed, I can’t think of a more pliantly phrased account of the opening of the first-movement ‘Dialogo’ – perhaps not even Rostropovich’s with the composer himself at the piano (Decca, 10/89). In the ‘Scherzo-Pizzicato’, Mørk and Håvard Gimse aren’t as mercurial as their legendary forebears but Gimse has such an exquisite sense of harmonic colour that I was equally astonished. Only in the first minute or so of the ‘Marcia’ did I wish for a little more rhythmic snap and bite. But then, Mørk and Gimse seem to favour lyricism throughout, even in the blistering finale.

Similarly, some listeners might want the jagged rhythmic figures in Janáček’s Pohádka more sharply defined but, here again, the duo’s sensitivity and songful style have their own rewards. I believe this helps them dovetail the sections of each movement together, for example, thus avoiding the feeling I often get – even from Rostropovich and Britten’s intensely expressive live performance (Decca, 5/14) – that these are episodic miniatures.

I’d say the same about the Debussy Sonata, too, particularly the finale, which really hangs together here, and without any loss of momentum or excitement. Listen, say, to the sparks flying starting at 1'11". I might nitpick over a few details: I don’t think the players quite follow Debussy’s Poco animando directive at 0'45" in the first movement, for instance, although Mørk’s tone is so gorgeous here (truly dolce sostenuto) that I don’t think their languorous tempo matters, nor do I mind that they anticipate the cédez marking by a few bars. I’d never thought of this cellist as a magician, honestly, but his legerdemain is breathtaking here – sample his mini-cadenza at 3'08" for but one example.

Mørk and Gimse are exceptionally eloquent in the first movement of Bridge’s Sonata, as well, where they find a restlessness that many other performers overlook. In the slow sections of the second and final movement, however, I’m not always so convinced. Listen at 3'10", where Bridge’s writing takes on a rapturous, Scriabinesque quality: Rostropovich and Britten tap into this brilliantly (Decca, 4/95) while Mørk and Gimse are becalmed. That said, the last pages are so deeply felt in this new recording that I didn’t feel at all robbed of satisfaction.

Any serious collection must have Rostropovich and Britten’s recordings of all four of these works, of course, but I’ll keep this handsomely recorded new album by their side.