In the era long before recording, arrangements for wind band – Harmoniemusik – were popular, and though it is questionable today to have recordings of works well known on disc in their finished form, The Albion Ensemble gives brilliant performances of this collection of Beethoven arrangements, guaranteed to delight lovers of wind music.

The first point that strikes one is the clarity. The Egmont Overture ends with a spectacular fanfare display in the final “Battle Symphony” coda, while the arrangement of the First Symphony suggests that Harmonie arrangements encourage speeds rather faster than one expects with the full orchestral version, at least in fast movements. The sharp syncopations in the Scherzo and the exuberant finale are particularly effective.

The arrangement of the Fidelio Overture brings a transposition of key to make the development section more playable by the wind instruments of the time, and a judicious cut is made for the same reason. Crisp dotted rhythms add to the impact, while the arrangement of the March is clean and straightforward. The arrangement of the slow movement of the Piano and Wind Quintet, with the piano part incorporated in the wind textures, brings a memorable horn solo halfway through.

Perhaps surprisingly, the most successful arrangement is that of the Pathétique Sonata, emphasising how advanced this early work was in the transition from Classicism to Romanticism in Beethoven’s career. In the lovely slow movement a horn takes the first statement of the main melody, while the central contrasting section is lightened, compared with the piano original, and the finale again emphasises the sharpness of attack encouraged in wind arrangements. Enterprisingly, the disc has been jointly sponsored by the Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.