This is a pleasant recital of solos and trios from various collections of Telemann's chamber music. It was recorded ten years ago and is none the worse for that. These artists play modern rather than period instruments, and play them well. The oboist, Peter Bree has been a pupil of Han de Vries in Holland and Neil Black in London; Marianne Stucki studied first with Marcel Moyse then with William Bennett.
The best-known piece in the collection is the Suite in G minor for oboe and continuo from Telemann's Der getreue Music-Meister. Bree plays it with an informed stylistic sense and a fluent technique; yet I found his approach occasionally perfunctory as, for example, in the engaging Passepied whose rustic charm rather passes him by. Few Telemann enthusiasts will be without this suite somewhere in their library, but should there be any then this version can by and large be recommended. My own preference, however, is for the Paul Dombrecht performance on Accent/Harmonia Mundi. Heinz Holliger on Denon is outstanding, although I am less taken with his somewhat over-assertive continuo team and its fussy harpsichord realizations.
The remaining pieces on the disc may well be new to all but the most assiduous devotees of Telemann's chamber music. The accompanying booklet tells us absolutely nothing about the music; it does not even get a mention, other than on the reverse side of the jewel case. And I am afraid I must further exasperate readers by confessing that I cannot readily identify the pieces in question. The most unusual of them, at least from the standpoint of scoring, is an attractive Trio Sonata in B minor purporting to be for flute, viola and continuo. The other trio, in C minor, again featuring viola, includes oboe rather than flute. The programme is rounded off with a fine B flat Sonata for flute and continuo.
All these pieces are played in a stylish and technically fluent manner, which more often than not responds to Telemann's affecting galant gestures. The flute sonata in particular is played with an unmistakable tenderness of spirit. A well-controlled vibrato and warm, soft-spoken instrumental tone lend considerable charm to the performance. In spite of the dismal presentation this is a recital worth exploring. Clear recorded sound.'