Ib Lanzky-Otto, Frøydis Ree Wekre, Michael Ponti, Othmar Maga - Kuhlau: Concertino for 2 Horns, Piano Concerto (1993)

Kuhlau's early piano concerto is one of the three works on this CD, and though it takes Beethoven's first concerto as its template, cannot be dismissed as derivative. It is melodic and technically challenging, though Ponti manages its demands with ease. Mozart is the composer's other model, but the orchestration has a deft, imaginative and assured touch.
The Elf Hill overture has a deceptively simple opening, and though it is not as sophisticated a piece of theatre writing as, say Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream, it is charming and eminently listenable music which rewards further listening.
The most distinctive work on the CD is the Concertino for two horns and orchestra. It is more sophisticated than the term Concertino might suggest: halfway between a serenade and a concerto, this is a delightful work which, while easy on the ear, is deceptively artless. The two soloists, Ib Lansky-Otto and Froydis Ree Wekre (both principal horn players with their orchestras) give idiomatic and graceful performances.
The Odense Symphony Orchestra under Othmar Maga play with style and conviction. Recommended!