Louis Schwizgebel / BBC Symphony Orchestra / Fabien Gabel / Martyn Brabbins SAINT-SAËNS Piano Concertos 2 & 5

Of Camille Saint-Saëns’s five piano concertos, the G minor Second is the one most favoured. Its three movements cover majesty, wit and exuberance: a splendid piece altogether. Louis Schwizgebel (a success at the Leeds Piano Competition in 2012) brings weight, poise, deftness and sparkle to this endearing work, and is well accompanied by Fabien Gabel, the recording reporting a partnership of equals. Scarcely less fine as music is the ‘Egyptian’ Concerto (No 5). Saint-Saëns, an inveterate traveller, knew the locale first-hand. It’s a charming work, full of lovely tunes, affecting harmonies and oodles of atmosphere. Like Gabel, Martyn Brabbins is sympathetic to the music and to Schwizgebel’s intentions. If Rubinstein (in No 2), and Ciccolini and Hough in all five, should not be forsaken, then Schwizgebel is to be reckoned with, for both these performances are excellent and do these marvellous concertos proud – the finale of No 5 has the wind in its sails. Bon voyage! (Colin Anderson)

Louis Schwizgebel SCHUBERT Piano Sonatas D. 845 & 958

In this eagerly awaited solo album for the enterprising Aparté label, Louis Schwizgebel appropriates two gems of piano repertoire: Sonata D845 (no. 16) in A minor, considered the first of Schubert's maturity, impresses with the mastery of its structure and its expressive power. Worthy of a symphony, D958 in C minor, 19th out of the 21 that he composed, symbolises the mastery of the composer, freed from the weight of his admiration for Beethoven.

Enhanced by recording quality featuring an extraordinary harmonic palette that will delight the most demanding audiophile, this project promises to be one of the finest piano CDs of the year. Louis Schwizgebel makes his debut in the International Piano Series on December 2nd at St Johns Smith Square, playing Sonata D958 and discussing his programme in the free pre-concert talk. The Swiss pianist won second prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition in 2012, and soon afterwards became one of the BBC’s New Generation Artists. Acclaimed by The Guardian as "a pianist with a profound gift", he presents music by some of the piano repertoire’s greatest composers. (Presto Classical)