Though most of his vast recorded output is dedicated to twentieth century English choral and orchestral music,
Richard Hickox is occasionally allowed to try his hand at other repertoire. This two-disc Virgin Veritas set includes both
Hickox's discs of orchestral works by
Francis Poulenc: his 1988 disc coupling of the French composer's piano concerto, organ concerto, andConcert champêtre (in fact, a harpsichord concerto operating under an assumed name) and a 1990 disc coupling of his Concerto for Two Pianos with his Aubade and Sinfonietta. In their way, all these performances are quite appealing. Using a mix of French and English soloists --
Jean-Bernard Pommier and
Anne Queffélec in the piano concertos and
Maggie Cole and
Gillian Weir in the harpsichord and organ concertos -- and the
London Sinfonia as his backup band,
Hickox turns in smart and stylish performances of these familiar works packed with plenty of wit and charm. Some listeners might wish for the more piquant colors and spiky rhythms of the classic French recordings of these works by
Georges Prêtre and
Poulenc himself, but few will say that
Hickox's smoothly refined surfaces and sharp-cornered sonorities don't suit the music. As was Virgin's wont in the early digital era, the sound of both discs is blended and somewhat cool.