These are rather unconventional readings of the Mozart concertos with flute in which the text is treated more freely than usual. Patrick Gallois adds ornamentation here and there, where the music invites it (and occasionally elsewhere, too), and he allows himself a good deal of freedom over articulation as well as elasticity over tempo and, particularly, over the lengths of appoggiaturas. There are also a few surprising extra chirrups here and there. Some of the results are interesting, others a shade eccentric and wilful.

He takes the first movement of K314 at a lively, indeed hasty, pace and plays it in perky fashion though extremely dexterously. The Adagio, with rather clipped orchestral phrasing and Gallois’ cool, thinnish tone, seems to me lacking in expressive warmth. K313, too, is briskly done: again, very deftly played, but with some oddly arbitrary rhythmic breaks and phrasing that do little for the graceful character of the piece. The concerto with harp seems curiously charmless, although I enjoyed the nicely timed and expressive harp playing in the Andantino.

As a whole, however, the performances, despite their undoubted virtuosity and their insouciant spirit, give the impression of being cavalier, and the sound of Gallois’ flute, so unlike the softer and warmer sound of the flute of Mozart’s time, gives the music a hard edge that doesn’t bring out much of the real character or appeal of the works.