Franz Danzi was by all accounts a charming man and a scrupulous craftsman, and his music reflects both qualities. He was also very influential for good on the young Weber, a fairly irresponsible young man when Danzi first encountered him in Stuttgart. Whether he also influenced Weber's style is more arguable. The flute and clarinet Concertante recorded here is highly 'Weberian' in its use of a final Polacca, and especially in a slow movement which sets wind solos against a sombre background of horns, bassoons and pizzicato strings. It was actually written a few years after Weber's pioneering clarinet concertos in similar vein, but Danzi may well have been responsible for starting up ideas in Weber's mind that helped to lead to his individual manner of orchestration. Danzi's work is extremely enjoyable, and makes very skilful use of the close yet contrasted timbres of the two instruments, so as now to set one off against the other, now to have them chiming amiably together in thirds and sixths.
The Flute Concerto is a somewhat less striking piece, but goes cheerfully through motions that also include a Larghetto with contrasting wind and string accompaniments and the usual Polacca finale. James Galway deals sympathetically with it, and Sabine Meyer knocks off the ''La ci darem'' variations with relish. They are not really so much variations as a free fantasy on the tune, and nicely composed.'