Turin’s hidden musical diamond must be the superb Filarmonica ‘900 del Teatro Regio di Torino, a new force in the Italian orchestral scene. For their first CD they have chosen two remarkably talented musicians to partner them. Jan Latham-Koenig needs little introduction and is a renowned French music specialist. In addition to his award-winning DVD of Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites (Arthaus), his recording of Ibert’s opera Persée et Andromede on AVIE (AV 0008) has been a significant success for the label.

Jan now returns to Poulenc with a recording of the complete ballet Les Animaux modèles, a rarity on record and deserving to be much better known. In the Concert champêtre he is joined by a young Italian pianist who is taking concert halls throughout Europe by storm. Best known for his jazz work, Stefano Bollani returns here to his Classical roots playing the piano version of the ‘Concert’ which is better known as a work for harpsichord and orchestra. Poulenc himself, however, performed the work himself as piano soloist. Bollani goes on to resurrect an almost lost tradition by elaborating on the two Improvisations written for the purpose by Poulenc. Jazz is never very far away!