May be due to stiff competition I was less enthusiastic about Tasmin Little’s performance in Elgar’s Violin Concerto than many others were. But this time I cannot but express my greatest admiration for her sensitive playing in Delius' Violin Concerto.

In fact the whole disk is 'une merveille': Programme, soloists, orchestra, conductor and, last but not least, the typical Chandos sound. In the hands of the chosen performers, Delius becomes so much more than ‘On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring’. We have here the three major solo works for strings (excluding the Caprice and Elegy, for Cello and Orchestra and the Suite for Violin and Orchestra): The seldom played double concerto, the better known violin concerto and, finally, his melodious Cello Concerto.

Tasmin Little and Paul Watkins are a perfect team in the Double Concerto and the latter excels in the Cello Concerto, turning it into a most memorable experience. Together with Tasmin Little's aforementioned playing in the Violin Concerto, nothing but praise, therefore, and that includes Andrew Litton and his musicians. Those who are not familiar with Delius’ larger compositions can’t do better than buying this disk and enjoy it as much as I did.