Three of the four concertos collected here were written for recorder and strings; the odd man out is the D minor Concerto by Alessandro Marcello which was originally composed for an oboe. It's the one which Bach transcribed for solo keyboard, BWV974, and it moves, once again, into a recorder concerto quite comfortably though, perhaps, not quite so effectively. Marcello seemed to understand the sonorities of the oboe rather well and though Michala Petri's playing is very sympathetic, throughout, a descant recorder does, of course, bring an entirely different character to the piece. The remaining concertos come off extremely well. Petri plays sopranino, descant and treble recorders, ringing the changes not only between works but sometimes within them. Thus the Telemann Concerto in F major—more familiar to Telemann enthusiasts in its D major version for transverse flute and strings—sports both descant and treble members of the family. Anyone familiar with Petri's playing will know that it is technically impeccable; her control of the instrument is remarkable and her sure sense of pitch a constant pleasure to the ear. What I have sometimes found lacking in her approach is the ability to relax, to let the music unfold with any degree of rhythmic suppleness. It has been particularly noticeable in slow movements but here such criticism has no place. The slow movements have a natural grace and there is nothing mechanical whatsoever in her playing.
The Vivaldi Concerto in C major, one of three which he wrote for flautino or, in approximate terms, sopranino recorder is a dazzling display of colour and virtuosity; the outer movements are insubstantial and rely upon a sparkling interpretation such as this for effect. The concerto by the French eighteenth-century composer, Jean-Jacques Naudot, is hardly more intellectually demanding but it has a ready charm which Petri makes sure is conveyed through her interpretation. It's the Telemann piece, on balance, which is the most diverting, though, and above all, perhaps, for the enchanting pair of Menuets which conclude it. At that point the descant instrument takes over from the treble; it's not a necessary shift but an attractive one. The Academy of St Martin in the Fields provides lively support, throughout, this time under Kenneth Sillito's direction.'