Zelenka (cd)

Gramophone Magazine
July 2026
Editor's Choice

Ángel Luis Sánchez Moreno (oboe), Ramón Ortega Quero (oboe), Marc Trénel (bassoon), Wies de Boevé (double bass), Alfonso Sebastián Alegre (harpsichord)

Zelenka: 6 Sonatas, ZWV 181

Jan Dismas Zelenka was a long-neglected giant of the Baroque era, known for pushing the boundaries of European contrapuntal art with rhythmic eccentricity and unexpected harmonic turns. His six Trio Sonatas, ZWV 181, written for the unusual combination of two oboes, bassoon, and basso continuo, stand as a pinnacle of the wind chamber repertoire. Unforgivingly demanding and intensely virtuosic, these works push the performers to their absolute technical limits.

For this magnificent GENUIN release, an elite squad of five international prize-winning musicians breathes vivid life into these complex scores. Oboists Ramón Ortega Quero and Ángel Luis Sánchez Moreno trade off dazzling, interlocking lines, beautifully matched by the agile bassoon work of Marc Trénel. Anchored by Wies de Boevé's double bass and Alfonso Sebastián Alegre's crisp harpsichord continuo, the ensemble uncovers an astonishing palette of complementary wind colors, balancing strict intellectual geometry with sheer, unadulterated joy.

"It is joyful and intelligent, impeccably put together yet free... Has Zelenka's instrumental music ever sounded this good? Possibly not." — Gramophone Magazine, July 2026.