“… The E-flat No.3 (1869) opens like a sunrise, the first movement alternating between bravura incident and a blissful second subject, the composer’s consummate writing brought to contrasting life by Lortie as well as the BBC Philharmonic and Edward Gardner, alert and trusty partners throughout all the pieces here, all faithfully captured by engineer Stephen Rinker … Piano Concerto #5 is known as the Egyptian … It’s a lovely piece, once again stacked with engaging and expressive ideas, full of warmth and colour, and plenty of scintillation, too, all done proud by the performers here…”

Performance *****      Recording *****

“…In all four works, the performing is of the highest standard. Louis Lortie is more than equal to Saint-Saëns’s fearsome virtuosity, but alongside heaven –storming finger works is a captivating delicacy … Equally impressive is the partnership between Lortie and the BBC Philharmonic superbly directed by Edward Gardner. The accompanying is both supple and thrillingly precise while the handsome recorded sound allows a wealth of delicious instrumental detail to emerge.”

Artistic Quality 10      Sound Quality 10

“… it’s not just that Lortie plays it [“Egyptian” Concerto] quickly–the performances reveal an unprecedented level of detail in both the solo and orchestral parts. There’s genuine interplay between the piano and the accompaniment, thanks in large part to Edward Gardner’s equally bold and beefy accompaniments. Certainly, Lortie has the touch and sensitivity to deliver the music’s more poetic moments such as the opening of the Third Concerto, and the central movement of the “Egyptian,” but I can’t think of any other versions that convey as much pure, physical joy as these. The couplings are equally splendid, especially the rarely heard Rhapsodie d’Auvergne, which is wholly delightful. Toss in first rate engineering, and the result is a mandatory acquisition for anyone who loves this composer, or this music.”

“… Lortie plays with unfailing expertise. The Allegro appassionato and the Rhapsodie d’Auvergne are sparkling makeweights and Chandos’s sound and balance are immaculate.”