And still the Saint Saëns discs keep coming. This new one, embracing the two cello concertos together with La muse et le poète for violin and cello, the tiny Allegro appassionato for cello and orchestra and a delightful envoi in the shape of ‘Le cygne’ from Le carnaval des animaux, is at a slight disadvantage in that it comes in the wake of an outstanding set of all the Saint-Saëns music for violin, cello and orchestra performed by gifted alumni of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium and released earlier this year by ZZT. Only last autumn, too, the Capuçon brothers, Renaud and Gautier, put their distinguished stamp on both the First Cello Concerto and La muse et le poète.

Nevertheless, this Hyperion programme has much going for it, not least in that it features the mature, sensitive artistry of Natalie Clein. Her spirit in this music is matched by that of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Andrew Manze, with passion, reflectiveness, architectural sweep and refinement in phrasing and dynamic colouring all finding common ground. The Second Cello Concerto of 1902 is eloquently voiced and given with such panache that you wonder why it is so much less frequently performed than the popular First. In La muse et le poète Clein is in intimate conversation with violinist Antje Weithaas, and the shorter pieces testify both to her lissom technique and to her lyrical allure. Warmly recommended, particularly if you only want these works rather than ZZT’s complete survey.