South Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho’s release of Maurice Ravel’s two piano concertos, which comes hard on the heels of his survey of the complete piano works, is a double celebration. Not only does it mark the composer’s 150th birthday, but also the 10th anniversary of the 30-year-old’s rise to prominence when he won the 2015 Chopin International Competition.

Both recordings set the bar high for the present generation of young pianists to follow. Cho revels in the myriad colours, textures and nuances of the French composer and he has wonderful support from Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. From the opening whip crack and whirling arpeggios of the G major work to the darker hues of the Concerto for the Left Hand – those exciting orchestral climaxes bring to mind Sword and Sandal Hollywood epics – this is a wonderful package.

Cho shows that his Ravel is every bit as good as his favourite Schubert, with the serene Mozartian Adagio from the G major concerto allowing his keen sense of poetry full reign. The outer movements fizz and sparkle with...