In the latter part of the 18th century the viola, previously neglected as a solo instrument, began to appear occasionally in a concertante role. Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante, K364, is the only example by a major composer but this selection of concertos gives a good idea of how effectively the viola’s distinctive voice could be exploited. Carl Stamitz was himself a noted viola player; his beautifully orchestrated Concerto demands considerable virtuosity. Hoffmeister’s Concerto is unmistakably Viennese in the elegance and charm of its melodies, while the Zelter, an early work from around 1779, suggests a previous era, with spare textures and Baroque-style dotted rhythms.

Hariolf Schlichtig gives notably polished performances, backed by the finely blended, well-recorded playing of the Münchener Kammerorchester. His beautifully articulated passagework gives the Stamitz’s virtuoso episodes a special quality, quite different from violinistic brilliance but equally alluring. However, all these works are of a kind that needs some special pleading, and in the lyrical passages Schlichtig could do more to bring out the music’s expressive character. For instance, the slow movement of the Zelter, and the strange passages of recitative that interrupt its finale, seem to demand a highly emotional delivery in the tradition of CPE Bach, whereas Schlichig remains cool and collected throughout. The orchestra, too, fail to find a necessary lightness of touch in playing the rondo themes in the finales of the Stamitz and the Zelter. Music that well deserves an occasional airing.