The Zemlinsky items are a first. Both were written in the 1890s for the celebrated Viennese cellist Friedrich Buxbaum; the manuscripts – very hard to decipher, apparently – came by a circuitous route into the possession of Raphael Wallfisch’s father, pianist Peter Wallfisch, about 20 years ago. The Drei Stücke are fairly slight, though full of character; but the Sonata is a substantial half-hour work, written shortly before the Clarinet Trio and the First String Quartet. Zemlinsky’s method owes much to Brahms but the emotional mood is different – much more volatile and intense. The slow movement becomes slightly irritating through overuse of a commonplace turn motif; its splendidly tempestuous middle section, however, anticipates early Schoenberg. The finale is particularly successful in the way it combines amiable main themes with more agitated episodes, leading to a beautiful, valedictory coda.

After Zemlinsky’s earnestness, Goldmark’s Sonata seems essentially moderate and relaxed. It isn’t distinguished music, perhaps, but very pleasing, with enough character to save it from blandness. With Korngold, we move to the sweet, nostalgic memories of Vienna’s heyday as the Imperial capital (cultivated also by Lehár and Kreisler). The Much Ado About Nothing pieces transcribe very nicely for cello and piano, and the Romance-Impromptu, from Korngold’s Hollywood years (taken from his music for a Bette Davis movie) has a simplicity that’s very touching. The performances are all quite splendid – my only quibble is that the “Garden Scene” in the Much Ado pieces should be a little faster, to allow us to appreciate the underlying waltz rhythms.