Dutton Epoch’s first recording with Royal Northern Sinfonia features pianist Victor Sangiorgio, brilliant in two romantic concertos of the mid-nineteenth century but given a modern twist: Martin Yates’ realisation of the surviving fragments of Mendelssohn’s unfinished Piano Concerto in E and Balakirev’s very Russian orchestration of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1. With this realisation of the Mendelssohn Piano Concerto, Martin Yates has produced another compelling performing edition that stands alongside other similar projects for Dutton Epoch such as his realisation of E. J. Moeran’s Sketches for Symphony No. 2. Balakirev scored Chopin’s Concerto at the very end of his life. He viewed it as a “Grand Concerto,” and with its use of modern brass and the cor anglais, he brings a Russian flavour to Chopin’s sound-world that has to be heard. This CD is a high-resolution Hybrid SACD [Super Audio CD], but is compatible with all CD players.