Jan Michiels previously recorded four of Busoni’s Bach chorale prelude transcriptions and Busoni’s Fantasia contrappuntistica for a 2010 release on the Etcetera label. These remakes mainly differ in regard to Fuga Libera’s more resonant and diffuse acoustic, along with Michiels’s use of two different instruments: an 1860 Bechstein in the 10 chorale preludes and the Chris Maene Straight Strung Steinway Grand for the programme’s remainder.

Michiels still hammers out In dir ist Freude’s melody to ugly percussive effect, and bogs Nun freut euch’s swirling passagework down to the point where the tempo grows progressively slower, in contrast to Víkingur Ólafsson’s dazzlingly winged interpretation (DG, 11/18). For once Wachet auf transpires at a real alla breve tempo, yet why the superfluous and predictable ritards at phrase ends? Ich ruf zu dir and Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland clock in faster than many versions, yet actually sound much slower on account of Michiels’s choppy phrasing.

On the other hand, the Fantasia contrappuntistica’s extensive tremolos gain appreciable mystery and colouristic variety, and the thick polyphonic climaxes never lapse into pounding or lose definition. Although one might miss the gathering energy that Egon Petri, Wolf Harden and Christopher O’Riley generate in the second fugue, Michiels’s pliable bass lines convey a sense of air in between the notes, while the high-register writing truly evokes Busoni’s quasi flauto directive.

Favouring headlong tempos, Michiels channels his reserves of virtuosity towards architectural continuity throughout the Bach/Busoni Chaconne, while providing more flexible contrast in the major-key episodes. This strong performance constitutes Michiels’s most cohesive, fluent and satisfying playing over the course of an uneven release.