Hats off to John Holloway‚ who has been delighting us for nearly 30 years with his period playing. His experience shows in remarkably distinctive ways. It isn’t merely his command and his deep affinity for both his violin and the music. It is his sound: burnished by time‚ crystal­clear in the centre but faintly soft­edged; free‚ never forced. His use of ornamentation alone is an essay in good taste. This recording‚ set out in the form of a concert‚ is devoted to chamber music composed for London audiences of the second decade of the 18th century. It inaugurates a series focusing on the music from specific times (presumably during the 17th and 18th centuries) and in particular European cities. As musical companions he has chosen his friends and equals. Jaap Ter Linden speaks through his cello with his own richly characterful voice: his playing is infused with lyricism and wit; his awareness of his instrument’s constantly changing role within the music and his attention to detail are sheer delight. His shapely performance of the A minor Geminiani sonata will send cellists scurrying to learn the piece. Lars Ulrik Mortensen contributes sublimely aristocratic realisations; beautifully tailored‚ melodious and brilliantly crowned with ornamentation. His performance of Babell’s keyboard transcription of Handel’s Rinaldo aria very aptly conveys the sweeping gestures of the orchestral ritornellos‚ contrasting them with the thinner textured‚ ornamented ‘solo’ sections. Holloway‚ Ter Linden and Mor­tensen have developed a remarkable rapport‚ evident in the many successful pairings (listen in particular to the Festing and Veracini sonatas) as well as the trios. Refined ensemble precision is enhanced by an underlying sense of mutual empathy. As Holloway’s informative booklet essay indicates‚ the CD ‘concert’ attempts to embrace a range of music popular at the time‚ all of which is ultimately influenced by Corelli (‘the ghost at the party’). The Handel sonatas will be best known‚ though never in living memory played quite with the same finely poised combination of architectural phrasing and understatement. The bright E major Arne Sonata‚ performed here without a cello‚ is gently flirtatious – a deceptive harmonic progression here‚ a fleeting modal dalliance there. Three of the four movements of the D minor Veracini sonata are based on a downward chromatic theme‚ turned upwards for the final Ciaccona. Holloway paces the virtuosity so that it never cloys‚ swaggering nicely in the Capriccio cromatico‚ rhetorical in the Adagio‚ with an eye to a climax in the Ciaccona‚ neatly foiled at the last minute by mock tragedy and an unexpected harmonic twist. Fantastic stuff! It is rare to encounter this quality of ensemble playing outside the string quartet repertory‚ and this recording sets exciting new standards for period performers. This is a series to collect and cherish.