Louis Lortie – Orchestre Symphonique de Québec
Louis Lortie’s 2010 Juno-nominated recording of the Mendelssohn Piano Concertos, paired with that composer’s Reformation Symphony, was revelatory. Working with the OSQ in Québec City's Salle Raoul-Jobin du Palais Montcalm - a more intimate hall - meant that Lortie already had an advantage in his quest to present the works with a lighter, fleeter sound, but the presence of legendary sound engineer Carlos Prieto meant that there remained no real need to force or project the music. The resulting disc - Lortie's debut recording as pianist/conductor - is a miracle of clarity and detail.