Ravel: Piano Concerto in G; Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 5;

Schlime: Three Improvisations

Francesco Tristano Schlime, piano;

Russian National Orchestra; Mikhail Pletnev, conductor (Pentatone)

The star here is the 25-year old Luxembourg pianist who appears on the cover of the disc booklet looking like a member of the cast of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." This oddity seems to carry over to the couplings, but the concertos were, in fact, written in the same key (G major) and year (1932) as the last essays in the form by both composers--and the solo improvisations were based on material from them. Refreshingly, the performances are unforced and poetic rather than brilliant, and the exceptionally fine-grained recording underlines atmospheric delicacy. Those in search of a modern, glinting approach may be more satisfied with accounts by Krystian Zimerman (Ravel) and Sviatoslav Richter (Prokofiev), but Schlime and Pletnev's slight softening of the edges is attractive, and the hybrid CD provides velvety sound of demonstration quality.

Chicago Tribune, 28 avril 2006 - Alan G. Artner