Last night, Hélène Grimaud played with the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall. And in a couple of weeks — November 8 — she will play a solo recital in that same hall. The French pianist is a fairly starry presence, and she has a new album titled “Reflection.”

It contains music by Brahms, Schumann, and Clara Schumann, and is meant to celebrate — or “reflect” — the relationship they shared. As with many albums, forget the “theme,” or any musicological contention: It’s just music, and, in this case, music of Brahms and the two Schumanns. There’s no need to go psychological.

Ms. Grimaud begins with Schumann’s Piano Concerto, in which she collaborates with the Staatskapelle Dresden, led by Esa-Pekka Salonen. In the outer movements, Ms. Grimaud is clean, sweeping, and often rippling. She has always done a good job of streamlining Romantic music (without making it unnaturally thin). The middle movement, however, is harmed by rhythmic license, stretched out of shape.

Generally speaking, Mr. Salonen makes a stylish, sensible partner. We would expect that of him.

Following the concerto, Ms. Grimaud plays three songs of Clara Schumann. That is, she accompanies Anne Sofie von Otter, the great Swedish mezzo, in them. Ms. von Otter sings with her usual intelligence, tastefulness, and beauty. Ms. Grimaud does well too, contributing the stormy, rhapsodic playing that she’s especially good at.

Next? A Brahms cello-and-piano sonata, in which Ms. Grimaud is joined by the impressive Norwegian cellist Truls Mørk. They make a good duo, producing strong, heartfelt, technically attentive Brahms. You could quibble with a number of things, interpretively, but they have defenses.

Last, Ms. Grimaud plays the two Brahms Rhapsodies, Op. 79. I have said that she can play rhapsodically — and there’s plenty of opportunity for that in rhapsodies. The second one, however — in G minor — is problematic. Ms. Grimaud goes in for stops and starts, when a steadier flow would be much better.

This is an unusual album — and a commendable one — in that it is a concerto album, a vocal one, a chamber one, and a solo-piano one. Why should a CD be stuck in one gear? Or feature only a single star?

Deutsche Grammophon, the label, does not neglect marketing. They have Ms. Grimaud lying on her back, looking at the camera dreamily, sex-kittenishly. Ah, well: If you were a record label, and La Belle Hélène were your product, you’d do that, too.

ANNE SOFIE VON OTTER
‘I Let the Music Speak’

We were talking of Anne Sofie von Otter, and DG has released a new album of hers, too. It is not a classical album. Called “I Let the Music Speak,” it brings us songs of Benny Andersson, best known for his membership in ABBA. Ms. von Otter has a great affinity for popular music — particularly Mr. Andersson’s — and she has recorded it before. For example, she has an album with Elvis Costello, who is credited with saying, “Writing about music is like dancing with architecture.”

Thanks a lot, wise guy. (He’s right.)

Ms. von Otter sings her popular music unpretentiously and endearingly, as she does everything else. Almost all of these songs are in English, the lingua franca of the world. And Ms. von Otter’s English is clear and natural. Also rather British: “hahf past twelve” — that sort of thing.

Personally speaking, I would rather slit my wrists than listen to most of these songs (again). But there’s something great about hearing singers — especially great ones — sing what they love to sing. You know?

LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC
ESA-PEKKA SALONEN, COND. Mussorgsky, Bartók, and Stravinsky

We were talking of Esa-Pekka Salonen, too. And DG has brought out an album of his as well. The Finnish conductor leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic, of which he is music director, in three showpieces: Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain”; Bartók’s “Miraculous Mandarin” (concert version); and Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring.”

Perhaps it is misleading to call the Bartók work, in particular, a showpiece. Better to say that all of this music shows off the orchestra in a big way.

And Mr. Salonen has an orchestra to show off. In his 15 years at the helm, he has done laudable things with the Angelenos, and they play with discipline and flair. Mr. Salonen himself is filled with energy, and he transmits this to his players. The present performances are as colorful and atmospheric as they should be.

Be advised that the “Bald Mountain”is not the one we know. We’re used to hearing Rimsky-Korsakov’s treatment of the Mussorgsky score. And Mr. Salonen has been championing the original — Mussorgsky in the raw. But don’t suppose that R-K did Mussorgsky some disservice: All that is original is not necessarily superior.

I might mention, too, that DG’s program booklet includes a somewhat snotty essay, which blasts Walt Disney for what he did with “The Rite of Spring.” Stravinsky’s work was included in “Fantasia,” and it was shortened from about 30 minutes to about 20.The essay accuses Walt & Co. of all sorts of treachery and boobery.

But, frankly, Stravinsky was damn lucky to have “Rite” included in “Fantasia,”one of the most popular movies ever made — and one of the most enchanting. I’m sure that many other composers would have been happy to take his place.