I make no apology for featuring Poulenc yet again. Regular readers will know by now that he is one of my musical heroes, but this is very much a Poulenc not as you know him. The whole album is a wonderful exploration of a composer whose gift for memorable melody was matched only by his instinct for harmonic colour and drama. The playing throughout by Antony Gray and Rob Hao is exceptional. The contrasts in articulation are wonderfully judged – razor-sharp staccato balanced by a beautifully singing legato. Poulenc wrote remarkable concertos for organ, piano, two pianos and, featured here, harpsichord. Not an instrument one immediately associates with the twentieth century, its revival owes an enormous debt to the pioneering Wanda Landowska, for whom this concerto was written. Although best known in its original orchestral guise, the version heard here was arranged by Poulenc himself for two pianos. Far from feeling like a reduction, it reveals the astonishing craftsmanship that lies beneath the score. Stripping away the orchestra allows every line, harmony and rhythmic idea to emerge with remarkable clarity, while never diminishing the music’s wit, elegance or irrepressible vitality. What elevates this recording even further is the artistry of Antony Gray and Rob Hao. Poulenc’s original delights in the metallic bite of the harpsichord, the warmth of the orchestra and a dazzling array of instrumental colours. To recreate such a kaleidoscope of sound using just two pianos is an extraordinary achievement. Their command of voicing, colour and balance is simply breathtaking, constantly creating the illusion of a far larger ensemble. The technical demands are immense, yet everything sounds completely natural. By the final movement the pianos seem to have been explored to the very limits of their expressive and technical possibilities – singing, sparkling and dancing with astonishing ease. This is not merely an excellent performance of a favourite work; it is piano duo playing of the very highest order. It transported me back to the joy of first discovering Poulenc and has earned a place among the recordings I know I shall return to time and again.