Brahms made it plain that he wanted his Horn Trio to be played on a hand horn‚ with stopped notes‚ and as Thomas Müller shows here‚ Beethoven’s very classical Horn Sonata similarly gains much character from a period instrument. How well the opening theme of the first movement (after the bold fanfare) sounds on the French horn‚ with the stopped note undisguised at the end of the first phrase. The fortepiano‚ too‚ makes a natural partner. Müller plays with great spirit‚ and then in the brief Poco Adagio he achieves a hauntingly gentle melancholy‚ so that the joy of the finale is the more infectious – again the ear soon notices the stopped notes. Danzi clearly knew his Beethoven and opens with an almost identical arpeggio figure. When the main theme arrives it is also obviously following the Beethoven model‚ if more Romantically‚ and with more of a natural feeling for the colour of the solo instrument. The engaging Larghetto is a real slow movement instead of just a poignant interlude‚ and in the finale the galant Bohemian elegance of the writing‚ and the greater virtuosity required of the soloist‚ move further away from the classical model. Ferdinand Ries’ Sonata opens commandingly‚ but immediately melts into a cantabile. Yet as the movement proceeds‚ one can still hear Beethoven coming through: try track 4 at 2'46". The opening of the Andante is theatrically atmospheric‚ and this is the most individual movement. The finale attractively follows Danzi in galantry and bravura. These are altogether excellent performances‚ with Edoardo Torbianelli a fine partner: he never lets the fortepiano sound clattery. The recording balance is excellent and catches Müller’s plump timbre most naturally.