Georg Philipp Telemann

In his mature years, Johann Sebastian Bach's circle of family, friends, students and colleagues was a large one. Bach was known to be a hospitable man who would often have concerts for this extended family in his own home. Such a concert is the inspiration for this recording.

Alan Hacker demonstrates the whole range and development of the clarinet from the ancient chalumeau, through baroque, classical and romantic instruments to the modern clarinet. He is ably assisted by Richard Burnett on organ, spinet, harpsichord and fortepianos.

It came as no surprise when the first release of Fritz Wunderlich (HÄN 93003) became one of best selling faszination musik titles. The charismatic tenor returns in a glorious program of baroque sacred music, recorded at the beginning of his career. The young tenor was deeply involved with performing early music from his college days, and as these moving performances will demonstrate, his approach to this repertoire was anything but dry or academic. Whether you a vocal music buff, or an early music maven, this is an essential recording! And since it's Fritz Wunderlich, you were going to buy it anyway.

Some of the greatest works of the Baroque era are brought together on this new release covering all the best known composers from Albinoni to Vivaldi.

From the vigour of Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba to the melancholy of Albinoni’s Adagio, by way of Pachelbel’s famous Canon and Gigue and Bach’s Air from his Third Suite, this is a collection that no lover of Baroque music will want to be without.

All the works are performed by Naxos’ resident Baroque specialists, the Cologne Chamber Orchestra under Helmut Muller-Bruhl who have won many awards and accolades including several Gramophone Editor’s Choices.