Dip Your Ears, No. 196 (Music from Eighteenth Century Prague)

A.Reichenauer, Concertos, V.Luks / Collegium 1704 / S.Azzolini, X.Löffler, L.Torgersen Supraphon

Spectacularly Baroque

We don’t know Antonín Reichenauer’s exact birth date—around 1694—or much anything about him from before 1722, eight years before his untimely death. Count Wenzel Morzin employed him, which meant the standards were set by his predecessor Johann Friedrich Fasch and Vivaldi. The bassoon, oboe, and violin concertos on this disc from Supraphon’s “Music from Eighteenth Century Prague” series live up to the comparison. En route they manage the feat of sounding like a direct bridge between the baroque and classical style, untouched by any Gallant cuteness. The playing of the period instrument Collegium 1704 under Václav Luks and soloists (perfect intonation and gorgeous tone throughout) makes this release special beyond discovering new repertoire.

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