Whole generations of composers saw a special challenge in writing for the solo trumpet. At the same time, they often had trumpeters at their disposal who were virtually legends of virtuosity, such as Johann Gottfried Reiche, whom Bach was able to call upon in Leipzig. The Baroque trumpet thus contributed a great deal to the development of the concerto style - not least in the musical centres of Europe. There, its splendid effects also brought glory to the instrument in operatic and incidental music for the stage. The brilliantly virtuosic tonal potential of the instrument - played in its valveless, 'natural' form during its heyday - has always exercised a special fascination. Its aesthetic appeal may still be comprehended today; what is more, this apparently eternally young and refreshing world of sonare (sonata: sounding piece) and concertare (concerto: contrasting solo part) has now awoken a great and unceasing demand for new arrangements for the trumpet. The present recording has resulted out of a feeling of obligation to meet this challenge. Here the spirits of rediscovery and revival combine.
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