Guher and Suher Pekinel, highly talented twins of mixed Turkish-Spanish parentage, playing together on a single piano, set off vivaciously into the Introduction of Saint-Saens’s Carnaval des animaux, tripping along with irresistible charm and gaiety. Throughout there is such an engaging lightness of touch underneath the surface sparkle that they readily dominate the performance. Yet the balance is well managed, and the partnership with Janowski and the French orchestra works quite admirably, so that time and again the ear is delighted, whether by the squawking hens and cockerels, the gentle, unhurried Offenbachian tortoises, the elephantine sylph, obviously parading on points (the double-bass solo so neatly focused by Gerard Soufflard), the galumphing kangaroos, the fragile, watery aquarium and the dainty fluttering within the aviary. The “Pianists”, for once, are deftly purposeful and sure of themselves; then the fossils forget any macabre associations and dance past with perky insouciance. Perhaps the finest orchestral solo of all is “The Swan” (Eric Levionnais), who swims by with natural grace and simple dignity (and without coming too close). A lovely performance. The finale is as spirited as the opening and I doubt whether there is a finer account of the Saint-Saens on disc, nor one more beautifully recorded, with every detail crystal clear within a most pleasing ambience.
Not surprisingly this personable and perceptive duo then turn to the scintillating wit of Poulenc’s Concerto for two pianos. They perform this work equally persuasively, and with plenty of dash and dazzle. Yet the secondary theme of the first movement is given a special haunting nostalgia, half-way between Satie and Ravel, and the delicious Mozartian pastiche of the Larghetto is equally relished. How nicely they make the melody sing, while the orchestral backing has the appropriate veiled sensuality and the docile coda is exquisite. Then the finale erupts with bouncing pianistic articulation and rather more strident comments from the orchestra, but again there is an exotic lyrical secondary tune that blossoms nicely before the brief closing burst of pianistic fireworks. The only drawback with this record is the short playing time: 38 minutes; but it may be counted fair value at medium price.'