Ole Edvard Antonsen, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Lan Shui - French Trumpet Concertos (2013) Hi-Res

French trumpet concerto literature was largely generated by a flamboyant generation of great indigenous soloists, led by the irrepressible Maurice André. Ole Edvard Antonsen’s new survey recognises the strong musical identity of this fine post-war virtuoso oeuvre in performances of forensic articulation and penetrating tonal focus. The benchmark for this demanding music inevitably falls to André, if only for the peerless colouration, character and richness of overtones he brings to the smokey, exotic and, at times, depraved irony which sits at the heart of Jolivet’s uniquely jazz-infused landscape. I miss the risk, swagger and dynamism of André here (also effectively conveyed in Wynton Marsalis’s fine performances from more than 25 years ago) in the Concertino, though one must admire the way the responsive São Paulo orchestra under Lan Shui project, in Jolivet’s Second Concerto especially, probing dialogues to balance Antonsen’s alert and silky asides.

For all the dazzling technical work, the personality of the music-making tends on the whole to be harnessed towards emotional restraint; the ubiquitous Tomasi Concerto is effective and impressive without quite persuading the listener that this is the major trumpet concerto the most eminent French composers of the day failed to deliver. Maybe the catholicity of material renders that a bridge too far, in any case.

Rather more successful is the quasi-neo-classical concerto by Robert Planel, where Antonsen’s contained deadpan agility, precision and fast vibrato perfectly suit this charming work’s Saint-Saënsian gait, most notable for a fine vocalise in a Debussian vein. Throughout this demanding disc, Antonsen confirms his credentials as a redoubtable trumpet soloist of the very front rank, if a little ‘al dente’ for some.