This release claims ‘première recordings’ status‚ which‚ if not entirely true‚ is certainly close‚ since recording­company interest in Johann Adam Reincken has never been great. At present only two of his keyboard works are otherwise available‚ while as far as I know only two of the partitas from his 1687 Hortus musicus have been recorded before. They were on Cologne Musica Antiqua’s 1981 ‘German Chamber Music Before Bach’ set‚ one of the best baroque chamber music recordings ever made‚ but since for some reason that is not currently available‚ this selection from the Purcell Quartet will have to do. Fortunately‚ it does very well by Reincken‚ an important figure of the German mid­Baroque who maybe lived to 99 and exerted a verifiable influence on Bach. The Purcells offer three keyboard pieces and all six of the Hortus musicus partitas for two violins‚ gamba and continuo‚ though not in their entirety‚ the idea being that the composer intended them as ground from which to draw selected blooms and arrange them as one pleases. Thus we get only the opening ‘sonata’ from No 5‚ for instance‚ while in No 6 it is broken up and interspersed with the ensuing dance movements. This may well be a wise move‚ since Reincken’s invention is not unfailingly fertile‚ and there are times when he treads the same patch a few times too often. His structural and rhythmical senses are strong‚ however‚ and his music has an attractive vigour and energy. The Purcell Quartet bring their customary virtues to bear‚ namely a sweetly transparent ensemble sound (though intonation is not always perfect)‚ a fleet­footed nimbleness in passagework‚ and a good feeling for the music’s various moods. The grand sweep and twists and turns of the opening movement of Partita No 1‚ with Richard Boothby relishing his gamba solo‚ is a fine example‚ as is the gentle lilt of the gigue. Though the keyboard pieces are not the greatest of creations‚ they vary the texture nicely‚ and Robert Woolley’s readings show neat musicianship. How fruitful 17th­century German music continues to prove!