And another exciting debut on MDG: Caterva musica has committed itself entirely to early music. This new release presents five remarkable solo concertos of the 18th century, all of which display the virtuosity of the individuals, but also but also the harmonically colourfully coordinated performance by the first- class ensemble.

Graun's Viola Concerto presents the viola both cantabile-sonorous and surprisingly virtuosic in the lively final movement; Johann Joachim Quantz's Horn Concerto is scored in D-sharp major; Molter's Sinfonia gives the timpani, of all things, an almost concertante solo part – above which the trumpets blossom wonderfully.

The Cello Concerto by Nicola Fiorenza combines the Neapolitan stile antico with breakneck acrobatics. In doing so, Fiorenza plays with the expectations of the audience, which gets its money's worth, not least with Vivaldi's Concerto for alto recorder with lively trills and fragrant garlands.

Caterva musica presents this programme as immensely fresh and unspent, and the unbridled joy of music-making is immediately transferred to the listener. The natural recording technique has its share in this: unfiltered and if necessary in 3D - so this baroque bouquet of flowers is delivered as a sounding business card with unclouded listening pleasure!

Caterva musica, based in Schloss Horst, Gelsenkirchen, was founded in 1998 by Elke and Wolfgang Fabri. The musicians play on original instruments or instruments reconstructed according to historical models. They aim to internalise the knowledge and understanding of historical performance practice in such a way that new ways and possibilities for a modern and lively approach to music develop. In the 20 years of its existence, Caterva musica has presented more than 90 different concert programmes and almost 1000 works from the 17th and 18th centuries in varying strengths from chamber ensembles to oratorio orchestras.