Two of our leading early music keyboard players have been in the studios recently, and by coincidence both have produced historically informed recordings of Mozart concertos. Earlier in the year Neal Peres Da Costa took on the No. 23, K488 with the Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra. Now comes this ABC Classic release of Erin Helyard performing and directing the ever popular No. 21, K467, still known as the ‘Elvira Madigan’ for its use in the 1967 movie, in an all-Mozart program with the Australian Haydn Ensemble.

Playing a pianoforte by Chris Maene after Anton Walter (Vienna, 1795), Helyard brings a sublime touch to the opening movement. There’s a winning intimacy to the interactions between the keyboard – Mozart owned a Walter for most of his life – and orchestra, and the instrument’s surprising penetration and expressive range is fully exploited by Helyard in the dizzying cadenzas of the first and third movements. His handling of the enchanting Andante is spot-on.

The work is coupled with both Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3, K216, played adroitly by AHE...