Arshavir Ter Hovannessian

For Wilbert Hazelzet’s second disc for Glossa, the stylish Dutch flute player covers a selection of pieces of music by composers who, with varying levels of certainty, can be regarded as having been pupils of Johann Sebastian Bach: Abel, Kirnberger, Krebs, Müthel and Goldberg – whose C major Sonata was for a long time regarded as being by Bach himself (as his BWV 1037). Cellist Jaap ter Linden and harpsichordist Jacques Ogg accompanied Hazelzet on this beautiful recording.

If only for his melodic genius, Handel would have been forever acknowledged as one of history's greatest composers. These delightful sonatas for recorder provide abundant evidence to support that claim, and Marion Verbruggen's warm, resonant recorder and brilliant flute prove the perfect partners for bringing these rarely heard pieces to life.

The introductory Ricercar and the first group of Canons are presented clearly but not pedantically on one or two harpsichords, and the sensitively played Trio Sonata follows, given added color by using flute, violin and continuo. The Canon perpetua is then heard on the same combination and, for all the remaining Canons except one, Moroney returns to his harpsichord(s). Good recording, truthfully transferred.