Johann Christoph Pepusch (1667-1752) was probably something of a child prodigy and Ernst Ludwig Gerber records that he hadreceived an appointment as harpsichordist to the Prussian Court at Berlin by the age of 14. Regardless of this, and of other successes in the theatre, Pepusch was most highly esteemed in his own lifetime as a composer of concertos. Georg Philipp Telemann considered him to be one of the best six German composers.

As with Handel, later Germans and Britons both claimed Pepusch as their own. Pepusch is best remembered today for his contribution to The Beggar’s Opera (1728), for which he composed a fine overture. Apart from that overture, none of his other pieces have received commercial recordings until today. It is our hope that this CD goes some way to remind audiences why Pepusch was once so highly regarded across Europe as a fine composer of inventive and dramatic concertos.

The original Harmonious Society of Tickle-Fiddle Gentlemen was formed in London in 1678 by Roger L'Estrange and Thomas Britton, and a group of the same name was still giving concerts in the middle of the eighteenth century. This new ensemble has now been formed, whose central repertoire is drawn from the collections of manuscripts and prints associated with the original ensemble and London concert life in general, as well as other fascinating corners of baroque repertoire.

Typically, the ensemble consists of around 4 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello, 1 bass, harpsichord/organ and theorbo/lute. They are also sometimes joined by oboes, flutes and even singers.