In my opinion, humble though it may be, Albrecht Mayer, current principal oboe of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, has to be the finest oboe player to be found on CD. The latest platform for him to show off his phenomenal technique and remarkable musicianship is the recent issue from Deutsche Grammophon: New Seasons. It features arrangements of popular Handel works arranged especially for Mayer following a period of five years’ collaboration with Andreas Tarkman. Mayer’s sleeve notes go further in ‘justifying’ this disc and it is obvious he has a real affinity with the music of Handel. The result is four ‘new concertos’ interspersed with favourites such as Lascia ch’io pianga from Rinaldo and Where’er You Walk from Semele. What is immediately striking is Mayer’s tone; the sound is enormous (this man must have a diaphragm of steel) and the richness of his tone is comparable to the finest chocolate. His sense of phrasing, particularly at the end of phrases, is extraordinary and is not far removed from the human voice. It is not hard to see why this disc has been so well received in Germany already. The arrangements feature not only the oboe but also the oboe d’amore and cor anglais and Sinfonia Varsovia provide perfect accompaniment to this truly remarkable musician.

Reviewed by Dawn Cooke