Sir Julius Benedict (German-born, he was knighted in 1871) was central to musical life in Victorian England. His opera The Lily of Kilarney (1865) was revived well into the 20th century but I doubt if one in ten thousand has ever heard a note of his piano music until now, making this release ipso facto an enticing prospect.

Benedict (1804-85) had been a pupil of Hummel and Weber, and if you accept that he was unable or unwilling to advance much on their piano style (the concertos were written in 1850 and 1837 respectively) you will have a lively and entertaining time with him. Whether or not it was worth the immense amount of time and effort in resurrecting these scores is a moot point – especially as no concert promoter is likely to ask Howard Shelley or anyone else to programme them: a pity, because the earlier of the two (though assigned a later opus number) is particularly effective with attractive themes and ideas. Shelley spends much of his time at the top end of the keyboard delivering cascades of filigree passagework with an apparently effortless fluency. How he manages to lead such crisp, light-footed (though admittedly incidental) accompaniment simultaneously is quite miraculous. Few other musicians alive combine the two roles so effectively. Walter Macfarren (1826-1905), brother of the more famous Sir George, just about merits the inclusion of his Mendelssohnian Concertstück (it improves once it gets under way). Don’t miss the opportunity of acquiring it. We shall not pass this way again.