This long-running series is now eighty-not-out, and here focuses on two Belgian composers. Who better than Howard Shelley, who also directs Sinfonieorchester St Gallen (Switzerland), to essay the Piano Concerto No.3 in F-minor (Opus 49) by Auguste Dupont (1827-90). As ever, Shelley plays with flair, sensitivity and style in music that may not be great but is fiery and tuneful – Romantic (owing to Chopin) – and has its own charm and sweet-tooth capacity. The other work is simply entitled Symphonic Poem (Opus 43), by Peter Benoit (1834-1901), also in three movements. Structurally loose in order to accommodate a narrative, it may be heard as owing somewhat to Weber, if far less distinguished, although the Belgian composer’s soul is awoken for the middle movement (‘Bardic Song’). It just depends on how much time and inclination you have to explore the byways of piano literature, although ultimately most of the pleasure comes from Shelley’s mastery and dedication. These two RPC examples are well-recorded and -presented on Hyperion CDA68264.
http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_cd_review.php?id=16330
http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_cd_review.php?id=15783