Frederick the Great himself is known to have composed one hundred and twenty-one flute sonatas, four flute concertos, a symphony, various arias and an overture. These works were written in the mixed style advocated by Quantz in an attempt to blend Italian music of the senses with French music of reason.

While most selections from Georg Philipp Telemann’s famous Tafelmusik could appropriately serve as inspirational musical backdrops to a formal banquet, there are other livelier, more vivacious ones that would auspiciously divert attention from such a setting in all the best of ways. Can you imagine for example not putting down your fork and deferring to the spirited second-movement R’ejouissance of the Overture-Suite in E minor, or to the final Allegro of the concerto in A major, or to the third-movement Allegresse or sixth-movement Badinage, both of which are featured in the Overture-Suite in B-flat major? As it turns out, the ever-practical Telemann understood this and titled his grand three-part production more as a means to lure would-be subscribers, irrespective of when and where the music was performed. After all, “Tafelmusik” is a far more appealing title than “a miscellany of concertos, suites, and sonatas”.

Regular performances in some of the world’s most prestigious venues have confirmed Florilegium’s status as one of Britain’s most outstanding period instrument ensembles. Florilegium has established a reputation for stylish and exciting interpretations of music from the Baroque era to the early Romantic revolution and since its formation, Florilegium’s performances have received outstanding critical acclaim around the world.

Regular performances in some of the world’s most prestigious venues have confirmed Florilegium’s status as one of Britain’s most outstanding period instrument ensembles. Since their formation in 1991 they have established a reputation for stylish and exciting interpretations, from intimate chamber works to large-scale orchestral and choral repertoire.

There is nothing to criticize here and plenty to enjoy. As with previous releases in this series, the playing of Florilegium is the last word in graciousness and elegance, and the music itself is unfailingly inventive and charming. I’m thinking in particular of the quietly humorous “Distrait” movement from the Sixth Quartet, with its delicious echo effects at the ends of phrases, or the gorgeous Courante from the B-minor suite. The Fourth Quartet shares the same key, and its “Triste” also represents one of the disc’s highlights. In fact, three of the four works here feature minor keys, the exception being the A major quartet No. 5, with its opening Vivement prelude and two sections marked “Gai” (though one of them is only “un peu”). Also in keeping with previous releases, the sonics are absolutely state-of-the-art, whether in stereo or incredibly life-like 5.0 multichannel formats. It just doesn’t get any better.