Hogwood’s accounts are stylish and well recorded, though not quite so bracing in their effect. Both he and Gardiner have the same soloist in the B minor Suite, Lisa Beznosiuk, today’s leading exponent of the Baroque flute. Hers is an appealingly light and delicate tone, one that gives her an almost ghostlike presence in the tuttis. But she is able to hold her own in the solo passages, despite the difficulty of fingering, and in both accounts her playing is nicely ornamented, not overly affected.

This marvellous set of concertos for one, two and four violins calls for a group of well-matched (not cloned) soloists who can also work together in the chamber-musical manner the music calls for—and in Monica Huggett, Catherine Mackintosh, Elizabeth Wilcock and John Holloway that is precisely what you get here. Every last detail is clearly etched in textures of wonderful clarity, intonation is as nearly perfect as humans are wont to achieve, dynamics (and contrasts thereof) are arrestingly controlled, whilst never sounding forced or unnatural.

Among various instrumental works composed by Vivaldi, there are twenty-seven trio sonatas, most of them written for two violins - either with or without continuo. Twelve of these sonatas were published in 1705 by the Venetian music publisher, Giuseppe Sala in a collection entitled Suonate da Camera a Tre, due Violini, e Violone o Cembalo. This Opus 1 collection contains the earliest known sonatas by Vivaldi. As indicated on the title-page of the collection, they could be played by two violins and violoncello (originally a violone) or by two violins and harpsichord.

Commissioned or premiered by some of the greatest violinists of the age—Kreisler, Dushkin, Elman—all the usual Martinu virtues are here in abundance, which makes the subsequent neglect of this important body of work even more incomprehensible. A decade after their original release, these recordings remain virtually unchallenged. The works recorded in this set—Martinu’s complete output for solo violin and orchestra, including compositions with other solo instruments.

In addition to volumes and volumes of church and chamber music, the astonishingly prolific Georg Philipp Telemann wrote a great many concertos–the most engaging of which are those for two or more solo instruments, often in interesting combinations. It must be said that many of these concertos are a bit lightweight, but they are lively and diverting–and Christopher Hogwood and the baroque-instrument specialists of the Academy of Ancient Music give them accomplished, persuasive performances. Among the tasty confections here are a vigorous concerto for three trumpets; a double concerto for recorder and transverse flute–in the 18th-century context, the old-fashioned and the newfangled side by side; and the "Concerto polonois" for string orchestra without soloists, based on rustic dance music Telemann heard in Poland as a young man.

This CD is a successful coming-together of two of Mozart's best concerti, two brilliant soloists and some very good conducting. More often than not, the Oboe Concerto in C is heard in its flute version - transposed to the key of D. This recording presents Mozart's original layout of the oboe concerto played with period instruments or accurate replicas. The bold stability of the key of C major suits the optimism of this concerto, composed in what many call Mozart's mid-period.

This new set of Bach's most famous concertos does not have to compete with any of the others presently on the market for it is based on sources which predate the fair copy which Bach dedicated to the Margrave of Brandenburg in 1721. It is not the first time that such an enterprise has found its way on to gramophone records and many readers will doubtless remember Thurston Dart's pioneering work, along similar lines of thought, which resulted in recordings issued by Philips during the early 1970s. The differences, both large and small, between Bach's fair copy of the six Brandenburg Concertos and the earlier forms are too numerous to discuss fully in these pages, but they are dealt with in Christopher Hogwood's interesting introductory essay which accompanies the set.

The year after J. C. Bach arrived in London he published three sets of works, among them this set of "Favourite Overtures". All but one of them had been heard in the King's Theatre, where he served as resident composer. Only one, the first on this disc, prefaced an opera of his own, Orione; Nos. 2, 4, 5 and 6 were written for pasticcios produced at that theatre between summer 1762 and early 1763, while No. 3, as far as we know, was not known in London, making the title "favourite" seem a little optimistic (it had been written for an opera heard in Turin in 1761). Being opera overtures, and essentially products of his Italian period, they are rather lighter in content and manner than most of J. C. Bach's music.

Wonderful representative collection of music from England's Renaissance.

Heinrich Schiff gives a fine interpretation of both concertos and has suberb orchestral balance with two of the finest European orchestras – the Amsterdam Concergebouw under Colin Davis and the Dresden Statkapelle under Neville Marinner. Both orchestras have gorgeous sound and both conductors are extremely supportive at every turn.

When Richard Maunder's editions get together with Christopher Hogwood and co, you know instantly that the result will be spot on. The sound of the boy treble line (singing alto as well) is earthy yet in tune, and well complemented by the strong lower parts. The orchestra is supportive yet unobtrusive. The dynamics and phrasing are all well chosen and executed. The choice of soloists is inspired, especially Arleen Auger - such a beautiful voice. It is just a pity that there is not more on the disc - some have argued in the 'Dona ut Kyrie' tradition that an Agnus Dei could be tacked on at the end using the music of the Kyrie. An excellent recording.

This radiant and nostalgic portrait at the same time constitutes a precious testimony on the art of a great lady of the song on the dawn of a career which one guesses already prestigious.

This recording of Handel's Acis and Galatea (or Acis und Galatea) features the German translation and arrangement completed by Mozart in Vienna circa 1788, per the instructions of the Baron Gottfried von Swieten to "modernize" Handel's pieces - including Alexander's Feast, Messiah, Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, and Acis and Galatea. Mozart kept much of Handel's original string arrangements, but proceeded to layer harmonies with a degree of sophistication that Handel could only have dreamed of.

In this performance of Handel's best-loved oratorio, conductor Christopher Hogwood returns to the original performance traditions. The choruses are sung by boy trebles and male altos, tenors and basses, and member of the Choir of Westminster Abbey. The soloists improvise embellishments in the arias and, in certain cases, join in the singing of the choruses - just as they would have done 240 years ago. In addition, Members of the Academy all play instruments of the period or accurate modern copies.