Nikolaus Harnoncourt's Dvorák series with the Concertgebouw Orchestra continues with two of the composer's rarer masterpieces. The Piano Concerto is as fine a work as any in the late-romantic genre, featuring expertly handled soloist/orchestra interplay and colorful if not supremely virtuosic or idiomatic piano writing, saturated with Dvorák's seemingly inexhaustible supply of good tunes. The pianist has less of a starring role than a collaborative one, but Pierre-Laurent Aimard takes to the part with discernible enthusiasm, relishing its mix of Beethovenian drama (as in the Emperor Concerto, Dvorák's pianist enters with a dramatic upward scale) and Mozartean grace. Aimard also is sensitive to the music's potent melodic content, offering touching renditions of the slow movement and of the finale's haunting lyrical second theme. Harnoncourt's probing yet spirited conducting makes this one of the finest performances on disc.

The concerto alone would justify purchase of this CD, but the real excitement begins with the coupled Golden Spinning Wheel, where Harnoncourt's deep immersion in Dvorák's idiom results in an authentic-sounding and highly idiosyncratic reading. This symphonic poem is the composer's longest and most complex, yet these factors present little challenge in Harnoncourt's hands as his emphasis on energized rhythms, textural clarity, and orchestral color make the music's differentiating sections and contrasting moods easily perceptible. The Concertgebouw plays brilliantly and beautifully, especially the woodwinds, sounding vibrant in their various solo passages. Teldec's recording team faithfully relays the spacious acoustic of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw with clarity and (at higher volumes) satisfying impact. If you're unfamiliar with these works, you're in for a real treat. [3/25/2004]

--Victor Carr Jr