Germany's CPO label specializes in intensive explorations of little-known repertory, and its efforts pay off with this highly enjoyable disc of chamber music from Telemann's era. Sebastian Bodinus is still lost in the miasma of history, known mostly through his music and not much even that way. These are not all "Quadri" (quartets) as promised by the back cover, but most of them are, and if you had to guess the composer you might think they were among Telemann's Quadri -- innovative works for a mixed group of instruments with continuo. The surprising instrumental effects bring Telemann to mind. Listen to the first movement of the Sonata I in D major from the sixth part of Bodinus' publication of "divertissements" (track 10) and note how the recorder sets off the unusual tempo shift after the main material has been introduced. It's very attractive and ingratiating, which are the watchwords for music like this, but there's a level of invention that puts Bodinus above the level of a mere imitator. The rapid finales of these three-movement pieces tend to be constructed from sharp little textural layers that begin like simple points of imitation. Among the most successful works are the very first and very last quartets on the disc, which include horns -- and thus represent some of the very earliest examples of chamber music featuring that instrument. Bodinus was apparently a violinist, and it is his instrument that gets the most sustained attention, but the horn is beautifully integrated into the rest of the ensemble.
Ulrich Hübner exercises wonderful control over the difficult Baroque horn, and all the players of the
Camerata Köln make their period instruments (there are a few modern replicas) resound with the naturalness the music demands. This release will be enjoyed by listeners ranging from scholars interested in the early history of chamber music to party planners who wish to use it for its original entertainment function.