It’s difficult in many ways to come up with anything but lyrical adjectives when confronted with playing of this quality. Nevertheless, there are some points that deserve mention, especially as regards what makes this recording different from others.

First, while one might well expect Fratres to appear on the same album as Tabula rasa, filling the remaining space takes some imagination and careful planning, both of which are in evidence here. Second, the physical sound of the recording is of the essence. Without in any way diminishing Gidon Kremer’s pioneering recording for ECM (1/11), it must be said that the sound on this new release is simply astonishing. While every detail of Renaud Capuçon’s playing remains clearly audible, the sheer, ringing opulence of the sound is breathtaking. The Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne under Capuçon’s direction play with a controlled passion that brings particular dividends in, for example, the second movement of Tabula rasa, Darf ich … and Für Lennart in memoriam, the most recent work on the album.

The only disappointing feature of this release, in fact, has nothing to do with the actual recording but with the booklet. Instead of a proper booklet note, we are given a rather rambling interview with Capuçon (in which he announces that the composer’s Orthodox faith is evident through his use of ‘Gregorian chant and plainsong’!). A half-and-half format, with some genuine information, would have been preferable. But this should stop nobody from investing in the glorious sound of this recording, however many other versions of any of the pieces on it you already have.