Neapolitan by birth, Tommaso Giordani worked for most of his career in England and Ireland. He was a contemporary of Johann Christian Bach and was likely influenced by the sprightly melodic style of the "London Bach." But the little trios for flute, viola, and cello recorded here, utilitarian though they may have been (they were likely composed for Giordani's students), show evidence of an independent voice. The "German flute" named on the cover of the album is merely a transverse flute; the usage is a very old one, dating back to the transverse flute's origins in the Eastern world (German-speaking lands were among the first Western areas where transverse flutes were played), that has apparently been preserved in Hungary, where this album was recorded. All but one of these six trios are in three movements, all are in major keys, and all are in a pleasantly melodic style. You could put them on as background for a reception, but there's more to them than that. Composed around 1775, the music shows that Giordani was aware of the directions Haydn and Mozart were taking toward what became known as sonata form. For all the sheer melody on display, it is Giordani's confidence in handling the shifting weights of harmony that catches one's attention. Hear the Tempo di Minuetto finale of the Trio No. 2 in G major (track 6), which is not a minuet at all and has a nice edge that could lead you to guess the young Haydn as the composer. After hearing these pieces it comes as no surprise to learn that it was Giordani who inaugurated the long tradition of the piano quintet. Flutist
Orsolya Kaczander plays a contemporary wooden instrument that's beautifully suited to the music's smoothness and warmth, and she's a natural with the liveliness and lightness required for this mid-Classical style. Not a must-have except for devotees of Classical-period music, but another strong entry in Hungaroton's growing catalog of historical releases.