Volume 28 in Hyperion’s absorbing series‚ The Romantic Piano Concerto‚ unearths two gloriously worthwhile rarities in superb performances. To briefly paraphrase Joseph Herter’s informative liner notes‚ Zygmunt Stojowski (1870­1946) – born in the Russian partition of Poland and later a favourite pupil of Delibes in Paris – was a die­hard Romantic who‚ after a dazzling start‚ fell victim to changing taste and fashion. Yet in both his piano concertos‚ where yearning melody and outsize heroics are expressed in writing of the most exalted virtuosity‚ his energy and ardour are a glowing reminder of another age. As a review in 1897 had it‚ such music only stands a chance in the hands of a great pianist. The challenge is immense both in terms of technique and‚ more elusively‚ style‚ and it is met by Jonathan Plowright with imperturbable authority. His musicianship is unfailing‚ his virtuoso command of the sort that clears every hurdle with yards to spare. Hear the visceral impact of his chording at 3'19" in the First Concerto‚ or the delicacy and precision of his playing of the decorative detail which immediately follows‚ and you are clearly in the presence of a master pianist. Even more remarkable is his unaffected warmth at 12'03"‚ and in the second movement Andante sostenuto the way he allows a melody lost in starry reflection at 1'17" to blossom and unfold. In the Second and more enterprising concerto‚ in which Stojowski uses the variation form to exploit every form of pianistic ingenuity (thirds‚ octaves‚ flying semiquaver figuration‚ etc)‚ Plowright is a no less trenchant and ardent advocate‚ relishing the Romantic fullness of Variation 9‚ tossing aside the second movement Scherzo with a scintillating disregard for difficulty and catching his listeners in a final whirl of events which leads up to a surprisingly restrained and poetic coda. Even when compared to the most outstanding performances in this series (chiefly by Stephen Hough and Marc­André Hamelin) Jonathan Plowright’s performances are a rare exampleof technical and musical integrity. He is backed to the hilt by Martyn Brabbins and theBBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra‚ and both sound and balance are natural and exemplary.