"Visiting artist Philippe Bianconi, playing that virtuosic favorite, Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3, Bianconi appears to be an artist of the old school. He radiated confidence - happiness, even, walking out onstage to tackle this challenging, angular piece. He wore old-fashioned tails, tossing them over the bench. You got the idea right away that the concerto was in good hands, as he reveled in its sharp corners and chromatics."

Basque/French composer Maurice Ravel was, along with Debussy, one of the first true impressionists; a complicated man, his work often drew from classicism, and he was also one of the first composers to include the influences of jazz in his many works. His compositions often originated as piano pieces, but he was a master orchestrator, and frequently transcribed the piano originals for the orchestra. This two-disc set offers a recital of those originals, and French pianist Philippe Bianconi...