Martinu's brilliant and witty double piano concerto belongs to a long list of his works unaccountably neglected in today's concert halls. Composed in 1943 during the composer's American period, the piece shares many of the same characteristics of the six great symphonies written at the same time: busy, syncopated rhythms; luminous orchestration; and soaring lyrical passages of great melodic breadth. In a not very crowded field, this concerto certainly stands proudly beside those of Mozart, Poulen, Piston, Gould, and Vaughan Williams among the sovereign works for two pianos and orchestra. The Concerto Grosso for Two Pianos and Chamber Orchestra, by contrast, comes from the end of Martinu's Paris period (1937), and offers spikier harmonies and a more soloistic give and take between the soloists and individual members of the accompanying ensemble.

The remaining items, for duo pianists without orchestra, are all charming miniatures, though the Three Czech Dances together offer considerable musical substance beneath the folksy exterior. All of these works are superbly played by the Clinton-Narboni Duo. They have the technique to offer maximum brilliance in the outer movements of the Concerto and Concerto Grosso, and the delicacy of touch to make something really special out of the former's haunting slow movement (the last two minutes or so are just magical). Vladimir Válek and the Talich Chamber Orchestra bring a touch of authentic Czech vitality to their sensitive and lively accompaniments, and the recorded sound provides ample body and excellent balances both. A major release.

--David Hurwitz