The Classics: June 20

Herbert: Cello Concertos Nos.1 and 2, Irish Rhapsody. Mark Kosower (cello), Ulster Orchestra. Naxos CD

Joann Falletta, who has guest-conducted more than 100 orchestras in the United States, is now music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic and Virginia Symphony. She was principal conductor of the Irish orchestra from 2011 to 2014.

She leads them in Irish-born Victor Herbert's two works. His was a celebrated name in American music in the late 19th and 20th centuries as cellist, conductor and composer of light operas.

The two Cello Concertos have graceful melodies. No2 in E minor inspired Dvorak (his boss at the National Conservatory in New York) to write his own famous B minor cello concerto.

Irish Rhapsody for Grand Orchestra (1892) is 15 minutes of melodies for a homesick audience and ends with a nice mix of folk-tunes.

Verdict: Kosower is a fiery but eloquent soloist.

De Castro-Robinson: I Stayed a minute. Dean Sky-Lucas (piano). Rattle CD

Conceived by New Zealand composer Eve de Castro-Robinson as a limited-edition vinyl record release in conjunction with a book by Auckland photographer Harvey Benge, the CD version seems a rather awkward experiment.

There are two compositions for piano, voice and percussion, each in three movements with poetic titles drawn from the composer's favourite writers.

Ring True has a metal handbell and tamtam also played by the pianist; and the garden was full of voices required him to whisper and chant, as well as rub CD cases on the piano strings.

They are sonic explorations, and rather quirky, but (like the proverbial curate's egg) good in parts.