This disc offers a unique coupling of two of Samuel Barber's finest works in excellent performances. Robert McDuffie delivers a satisfyingly heartfelt rendition of Barber's Violin Concerto, one that brings to light many of the score's beauties. This, combined with Yoel Levi's passionate conducting makes McDuffie's version preeminently recommendable--that is, until you hear Hilary Hahn's ravishing and deeply probing account on Sony, which must take pride of place. Jon Kimura Parker offers a sharply focused, intense reading of the Piano Concerto, and while his does not have the authoritative air of dedicatee John Browning in his recording with Leonard Slatkin, Parker compensates with a youthful daring absent from the elder statesman's later reading. Barber's Souvenirs appears here in its full orchestra version (Browning and Slatkin recorded the two-piano original on their RCA disc), allowing us to delight in these whimsical dances from an enlarged perspective. Throughout it all the Atlanta Symphony supplies top-notch playing, and Telarc's recording is up to its usual vividly realistic standard.

--Victor Carr Jr.