This is the eighth CD from the Amphion Wind Octet, an ensemble whose previous recordings have explored the Harmonie repertory of greater- and lesser-known composers and works, from Triebensee and Rosetti (perhaps names mostly familiar to wind devotees) to Mozart and Beethoven. In these earlier releases, the ensemble has explored the versatility of the wind octet in performing arrangements of works for larger Harmonie groups or those with different instrumentation, such as Mozart's ‘Gran Partita’ k361 for thirteen winds, and Beethoven's Septet Op. 20.

For this disc the ensemble explores for a second time some of the prolific output of Franz Krommer (1759–1831). Krommer is today best known for his wind concertos and his extensive output for Harmonie ensembles, but he attained fame in his lifetime chiefly for his string quartets, being considered together with Beethoven as a serious rival of Haydn when writing in this genre. He was a prolific composer, with over three hundred works to his name, covering most of the popular genres of his time (albeit with the exception of piano works, lieder and opera).

Krommer received what little musical training he had from his uncle, who taught him organ and violin. In theoretical matters, however, he was largely self-taught. He left his provincial situation in 1785 to move to Vienna, where he remained for a year before receiving employment as a violinist in the orchestra of the Duke of Styrum in Hungary. There followed a string of positions in various noble courts, including Kapellmeister to the Duke Karolyi and – perhaps most significantly for the repertory on this disc – Prince Antal Grassalkovich de Gyarak. It was not until 1795 that Krommer returned to Vienna, where he again took up several court appointments. He attained perhaps his most significant post in 1818, when he succeeded Leopold Kozeluch as the last official court composer and director of chamber music to the Habsburg emperors. Krommer held this position until his death in 1831.

It is not known exactly when or for whom Krommer wrote his large number of wind partitas and serenades. The fact that he did not begin to publish many of his works until his later years has contributed to the difficulty in gaining a sense of the chronology of much of his output. In the disc's liner notes (page 5) Bernhard Blattmann argues for the possibility of the period 1787–1791, during Krommer's employment as a regimental musician to Duke Karolyi, or the middle of the 1790s, when he was in the service of Prince Grassalkovich. This last possibility is particularly promising, considering that Grassalkovich was known to employ a Harmonie ensemble that comprised some of the best players of the day. It is also plausible that Krommer wrote these works during his years in Vienna, a city known for its exceptional tradition of wind playing. In stylistic terms, his works for the Harmonie ensemble seem to suggest a later date for their composition than the equivalent works by Mozart. Krommer's works, while very entertaining and worthwhile, also seem to lack the masterly touch of those by Mozart. As Bernhard Blattmann suggests, ‘it is uncomplicated and intellectually easily approachable music, without becoming trivial’ (liner notes, 7).

As winners of the prestigious Van Wassenaer Concours in 1998, one might expect a performance of a high standard from the Amphion Wind Octet, and generally the listener will not be disappointed. While the performance may lack some of the acquired polish heard in some (but only very few) of the older established groups, the sound of the ensemble is full and pleasing, and their enjoyment of the music is clearly evident. The ensemble sets a brisk and lively pace for many of the outer movements, which they manage to maintain successfully, no mean feat in an ensemble of this kind. They also skilfully negotiate many small stylistic twists and turns in tempo without losing or disrupting the overall impetus of the movement. The menuettos are all given a very pleasing dance-like swing. This being said, the ensemble is not always quite tight, with beginnings and endings of chords and phrases often a little ragged. This unfortunate tendency somewhat mars a particularly beautiful moment in the Adagio of the Partita Op. 78.

Rhythm is occasionally also something of a problem, particularly in the linking passages of the first clarinet, and this is often combined with a somewhat unpolished technique. This is particularly noticeable in the last movement of Op. 78, in which the virtuoso clarinet passages seem just on the edge of Christian Leitherer's technical capabilities. Generally both the oboe and clarinet soloists seem more comfortable in the upper registers, which shine over the top of the ensemble with a pleasant clarity; in lower passages their tone can be a little spread and lacklustre. The slight vibrato occasionally employed in the clarinet line will not be to the taste of all listeners. Intonation is generally stable, but there are some slight problems between the first and second clarinet in octave passages, and some of the ensemble unisons are not quite pure in the upper voices. Intonation is one of the great challenges of playing in an ensemble of this kind, and it is hardly surprising to hear discrepancies even in the very best of ensembles.

There is no doubt that Krommer made the first oboe and first clarinet the leading instruments in these Partitas, but every now and then he gives the bassoon a wonderfully virtuosic solo. When this lies in the upper register of the instrument, it carries through the ensemble well, but it can sometimes become a little lost in the accompanying voices as the line descends. This seems to be a result of the accompanying lines not giving the bassoon soloist enough space rather than the bassoon's failure to project.

At seventy-two minutes, the CD is one of the longer recordings of Harmoniemusik currently available. Although the addition of a trumpet in Op. 83 provides some variation in the texture, it does occasionally feel a little long with no variation in texture, colour or repertory. Those interested in organological details will also be disappointed that the liner notes by Bernhard Blattmann (given in French, German and English) do not contain any information on the instruments used for the recording.

For the wind music enthusiast, this will be a welcome addition to a CD collection, as it explores repertory that has not had much exposure and is performed by an ensemble which pursues it with enthusiasm and dedication. For those yet unacquainted with the genre of Harmoniemusik, this recording will provide a pleasant introduction.