In the string pieces, this is, simply, one of the best recordings Iâve ever heard: a crystalline reproduction of a chamber orchestra, without apparent electronic mediation. Individual instruments emerge with pinpoint definition in pellucid detail, but not at the cost of ambience (most clearly evident in the glow around the solo trumpet). The clarity and focus in the bass are breathtakingly ãnaturalä - no low-end pre-emphasis ˆ la Decca - with positive results for the overall sonic frame: the chordal punctuations in the Chamber Symphony, for example, are crisp as well as vividly resonant.

Fortunately, the expert BT Scottish Ensemble thrives under the scrutiny. (Yes, the name betokens British Telecomâs sponsorship -- another one of those standing corporate ads, like the ãRCA Domeä and the ãBrendan Byrne Arena.ä) Itâs a small ensemble: twelve players, with just a pair each of violas and cellos, which could present tuning problems. But their intonation is bullseye-accurate; their tone firm, warm, and evenly balanced; and their ensemble tight. And clearly they focus, not just at solving technical problems, but at penetrating to the musicâs expressive core as well.

The Chamber Symphony, Rudolf Barshaiâs amplification of the Eighth Quartet for string orchestra, sounds more intimate, more in touch with its roots, than usual -- like ãscaled-upä chamber music. (By comparison, Barshaiâs own, hardly inflated, reading with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, DG 429 229-2, sounds positively massive.) The BT players wisely donât allow their posh, cultivated sound inappropriately to glamorize the music. The outer movements are full and vibrant, intensified but not overwhelmed by the added instruments. The scherzo is vigorous and virtuosic; the third movementâs opening theme becomes an elegant, grotesque waltz; the fourthâs sustained passages mesmerize the ear, evoking broad, bleak landscapes.

The reduced forces also bring a fresh slant to the Concerto. Larger ensembles underline the spiky rhythms; the BT, without sacrificing accuracy or drive, projects them with a softer edge and an undulating buoyancy. (The upper strings sound granulous in the Lentoâs soft chorale.) The soloists are excellent. Sophia Rahmanâs pianism is articulate and limpid; sheâs a bit too ãpresentä in the balance, but still manages to evoke bittersweet nostalgia in the waltz at 6:06 of the Lento. John Wallaceâs trumpet, better placed within the texture, keeps every note of the driving staccatos round and pillowy. In the Lento solo, he welds a cornetlike legato with precise note-to-note control, fashioning an austere lament while avoiding mawkishness; and he dominates the concertoâs closing pages resplendently.

With the two octet pieces, the BT players land in their real métier. Their full, rich chording at the start made me want to hear them in Mendelssohnâs Octet; later on, they realize the half-tints beautifully. The second piece goes with a lithe, driving energy and stunning accuracy, a touch of slurriness in the accompaniments notwithstanding.

Compliments to the producers for thoughtfully providing a generous pause (fourteen seconds) between the Chamber Symphony and the Concerto, giving the symphonyâs ending time to fade from the mind

S.F.V. (May 2000)