Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Nikolaus Harnoncourt - Dvorak: Piano Concerto, The Golden Spinning Wheel (2006)

Pierre-Laurent Aimard continues to present a repertoire for the piano that is never less than imaginative and is always compelling. The Dvorák Piano Concerto is rarely heard, not because it lacks beauty or inventive scoring for both piano and orchestra, but because the piece has gained the reputation of the 'Tristan' of concertos. Enter Pierre-Laurent Aimard and all of that changes. This is a lyrical, lovely, richly romantic piece and Aimard finds all of the hurdles and poetry comfortably under his hands. The second movement 'Andante Sostenuto' is so much a part of nature's quiet realm in its hushed simplicity of line that it truly transports. The fiery passages in Aimard's performance are full of excitement but never out of control.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam with uncanny sensitivity to Aimard's interpretation. An additional bonus on this fine CD is Dvorák's tone poem 'The Golden Spinning Wheel' and is another work that belongs in the standard repertoire of our major orchestras. This is one of those recordings that can be recommended without reservation.