Korean pianist Dong-Hyek Lim, Korean- and Russian-trained, sprang to wider Western attention as a protégé of Martha Argerich, though by then he was already well known to insiders, being a veteran of the competition circuit. There’s no question that he’s a very impressive pianist. But by any standards this new recording throws down the gauntlet – a recording of the holy grail of the keyboard repertoire at only 24. Mind you, Glenn Gould’s famed, speedy 1955 recording was made when he was only 22.

What’s appealing about this new version is the sense of profound pleasure in the music, not just in the sounds which Dong-Hyek Kim draws from his instrument but in the actual physical aspects of playing the piano. And he’s not afraid to experiment with what he can do in this music. But therein lies a problem. It’s a performance that almost contains too many ideas, and the result seems to be searching for a coherent identity. It certainly doesn’t lack personality, it’s just that he can’t quite decide what that personality should be.

His aria is prophetic in that respect. It’s dreamily played, slower than Gould in 1981, but peppered with brief spurts of energy. Perahia shows exactly how to introduce personality without overstatement, giving a slight swing to the theme. Var 7 is another instance, where, in Lim’s hands, its limpid 6/8 becomes dreamy in the extreme. On the other hand, the more fingery variations frequently work well: here’s a pianist who clearly delights in his own ability. Certainly an artist to watch but not a recording to upset the current pecking order.