Alexander Ernst Fesca Septets Nos 1&2

DURING his short lifetime Fesca composed a prodigious amount of music.

His catalogue numbered 60 works, not to mention 120 songs, and they ranged from the two septets on this CD to a sextet and six piano trios.

There was also a piano sonata, two stage works and four string quartets. Not bad for someone who died aged 28.

The first septet was published in 1842 and the second came shortly afterwards.

The instrumentation comprises piano, horn, oboe, viola, violin, cello and double bass.

The effect, which is similar in both pieces, is orchestral rather than chamber music.

Both septets begin with allegro followed by andante movements then the first offers a scherzo as opposed to a tempo di menuetto for trip in the 2nd work.

They are unashamedly spirited compositions that romp along in a very engaging, almost Schubert-like manner.

Anyone who likes their small ensembles to present a rather robust and rumbustious view of things will enjoy this 70-minute disc.

The Linos Ensemble has dedicated itself to mixed instrumentations for more than 20 years and the sound it produces is clean-cut and very accurate.

The group comprises Klaus Becker, oboe; Christian Lampert, horn; Winfried Rademacher, violin; Matthias Buchholz, viola; Mario Blaumer, cello; Jorg Linowitski,

double bass, and Konstanze Eickhorst, piano.

Listening to these, it's sad to relate that during the second half of the 19th Century composers lost interest in the septet as quartets and quintets gained currency, especially in the hands of Brahms and Schumann. The days of the orchestra ensemble were clearly under threat.

CPO 999 617-2