Here’s a lovely programme idea: Rimsky-Korsakov’s familiar Sheherazade – ‘Suite symphonique d’après “Mille et une nuits”’ – paired with Bortkiewicz’s unknown ballet suite A Thousand and One Nights, both played as piano solos. Etsuko Hirose plays her own transcription of the former. It follows very closely the arrangement by Paul Gilson published by Belaieff, though in several places, notably the finale (‘Festival in Baghdad – The Sea – The Shipwreck’), Hirose adds even more detail, to subtle and impressive effect. Do you miss the orchestra? Yes, of course. Half the attraction is Rimsky’s masterly handling of instrumental colour. But if you can, as it were, listen with the willing suspension of disbelief then the piece might very well have been written for the piano. This is thoroughly convincing music-making.

Most of us will not have any preconceptions about the Bortkiewicz suite, which, though conceived as an orchestral work, was first published as a piano solo in 1927. Many, however, will know Bortkiewicz’s idiom, which is planted unapologetically firmly in the 19th century. Indeed, it would not be a foolish assumption on hearing the ballet suite blind to put it down to Tchaikovsky or Rimsky – but there are too many individual touches to completely fool you. Bortkiewicz’s piano works, much appreciated by pianophiles, are sadly rarely championed by big names and so he continues to remain, by and large, unknown. He is a tunesmith, a creator of character pieces and an altogether charming and undemanding companion. You will find much to enjoy in the ballet suite’s 10 numbers. Try No 2, ‘The Story of the Poor Fisherman’, or No 8, ‘Dance of the Three Sisters’.

Hirose, who is slowly building a fine and useful discography of out-of-the-way pieces, is herself a charming and undemanding companion. Recorded as recently as September this year, her Bechstein Model D has been well captured in the Théâtre Georges-Leygues in Villeneuve-sur-Lot (France). The disc is, in short, a good listen. One thing is missing from her playing – and that is true passion. I wish she would use more weight at times to produce a fuller tone, a wider dynamic range, a true fortissimo and above, and occasionally, when needed, throw caution to the wind.