Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck (1770-1846) was a celebrated organist in his day and is best known for the music he wrote for his instrument (there’s a fine selection played by Ludger Lohmann including his Variations on ‘God save the King’ and a terrific performance of the splendid ‘Flute’ Organ Concerto – Naxos, 7/98). His chamber music, however, is completely unknown. It proves to be a delightful discovery, especially when played with such confident, stylish authority as here. The Trio’s present line-up of Johann Blanchard, Julia Galić and Michael Gross first appeared together on a disc of Chaminade (7/17), continuing the same high standards set by the Trio’s first incarnation and its benchmark set of Hummel’s trios (6/93).

Rinck’s equally slight but charming works may be no lost masterpieces but their craftsmanship, graceful lyricism, often catchy themes, economic means and unassuming character are easy on the ear, reminiscent at various times of Haydn, Mozart, Hummel and Mendelssohn. Volume 1, issued last year, consists of Rinck’s three two-movement Piano Trios, Op 32 (1813), his brief, three-movement Piano Trio (1803), a Sonate très facile (1797) – not that facile! – and a one-movement Sonata in D.

Vol 2, recorded at the same time (October 2019), has exactly the same title nomenclature with the addition of Rinck’s only trio for flute, cello and piano. Helen Dabringhaus, like her colleagues, plays with a smile, ensuring that what could easily become flat-footed and earnest is mischievous, piquant and engaging. For those who collect such things, the second movement of the first of the three trios of Op 34 is (another) set of variations on ‘God save the King’ (cf the Rinck organ disc above), which the booklet writer refers to as being used in something called ‘Haydn’s Imperial Trio’ and claims incorrectly that the hymn ‘Heil dir im Siegerkranz’ was ‘the later English national anthem’. No. We Brits got there first.

A second Sonata très facile (1797) ends with one of Rinck’s characteristically jaunty rondos – there are several on the two volumes – while the most substantial work here, the Piano Trio in D, has an irresistibly vivacious finale that, in the approximate English of the booklet, ‘sweeps with tremendous brilliance, which takes your away’ [sic]. No matter. The rapport throughout between the three musicians is reflected in what to me is a perfect recorded balance between the instruments in an intimate yet airy setting, contributing to a pair of albums that make you wonder why Rinck, whose 250th birthday it was last year, is not a regular visitor to the concert halls of the world.