A modest record of little-known music with f ew, if any, pretensions to greatness and played on 'contemporary' instruments. The first item is an arrangement, presumably by Bach himself, of his first sonata for viola da gamba and harpsichord; one flute has the solo line an octave up, the other the treble stave of the keyboard part, and the result is effective and pleasing, with lively playing in the finale notably from the cello. The Handel also has in places a difficult bass line, so all three soloists can show their paces, and do so admirably; I would only question the way the cello's microphone is turned up a little higher for her semiquaver passages—that at least is what it sounds like. The second flute part hardly ever rises above the stave, and the generally low range gives the music a melacholy it lacs when played by two violins.
In London, Haydn wrote four trios for two flutes and cello (no keyboard) and this one, which is charming, has also been recorded quite recently by Stern (Violin), Rampal (flute) and Rostropovich (cello)—CBS 37786, 12/82. The emphasis on the top octave gives the music a cheerful brightness inevitably rather lacking on Side 1. The point of including an arrangement of ''Voi che sapete'' eludes me. The aria has been arranged for one flute and piano, and it is played slowly with a great deal of unconvincing rubato and very little of the ornamentation promised in the sleeve-note. But I enjoyed the arrangement of the popular Paisiello song (on which Beethoven also wrote variations), and more still the much later waltz by Ernesto Kohler, rousingly accompanied on a Broadwood Grand; it is a very pretty piece. The playing and balance are goodish all through this record, which offers thoroughly agreeable, undemanding listening.'