Molter: Sonata Grossa & Orchestral Works

The performances by Martin Jopp’s period-instrument band are uniformly excellent. He keeps his tempos crisp but not frantic, and the ensemble plays both musically and in tune. Indeed, there is skill all about, and while Rux’s clarion playing is certainly good, Jopp’s line in the violin concerto will make one sit up and take notice with the clear and difficult lines he must perform in the outer movements. In short, this is a fine disc, and if you are curious to find that musical evolutionary track between the Baroque and Classical styles, you will really want to check out this one. --Fanfare

Already with the composers Fasch and Hertel, the Main-Barockorchester Frankfurt succeeded in getting the public enthusiastic about little-known masters on the threshold between the Baroque and Classical eras. Now the orchestra presents works by Johann Melchior Molter. Wind players are most likely to know this composer.

And indeed, this SACD features a trumpet concerto, played here by the internationally known specialist Hans-Martin Rux on the valve-less, pleasantly mellow-sounding natural trumpet. Molter undertook a number of journeys to Italy. Thus the Italian influences are not surprising, yet the French style and the young Mannheim school can also be heard in the six works that the Main-Barockorchester proffers in this SACD.