One or more of these 1995 thru 1997 recordings have been, and/or still are, available separately. NCA has conveniently and, it must be said, quite elegantly repackaged them in a handsomely appointed foldout set. The first disc in this set, the op. 56 quintets, was reviewed as far back as 10 years ago by John Bauman in 23:6 in all of three brief paragraphs. Franz Danzi, (1763-1826) an almost exact contemporary of Beethoven, perhaps deserves a bit more than that, but frankly, not a lot more. He got it in 31:3 from Steven E. Ritter who reviewed a three-CD BIS set of Danzi's complete wind quintets performed on modern instruments by the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet that were recorded half-a-dozen years earlier than these NCA releases.

This collection of the late Italian composer Giacinto Scelsi marks the recorded debut of many of his smaller works. Ranging from 1954-1966, Scelsi's elongated tonal studies are given a rapt performance here by a nameless Dutch ensemble that carries off the task without flaw or unnecessary adornment (a constant temptation, it seems, with Scelsi's work). Included here are three fragments of I Riti, the ritual march from the composer's Funeral for Achilles.

Aside from skill, soul, and wonderful melodies, the wind chamber music of Carl Reinecke has nothing to offer the listener. And as this splendid 1992 recording re-released by Naxos in 2008 shows, that is more than enough. Performed by members of the Boston Symphony, Reinecke's Wind Octet, Op. 216, and Wind Sextet, Op. 271, are light and airy works with bouncy rhythms, buoyant tempos, warm harmonies, memorable tunes, and an enviable grasp of form and proportion. Used to playing under a conductor, the Boston Symphony musicians' poised and attentive performances prove they are entirely capable of producing balanced interpretations on their own.

For 30 years, the answer to the question "Who's got the best recording of the delightful woodwind chamber of Strauss?" was "Edo de Waart and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble." While there have been other fine recordings, notably the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra's DG recording, de Waart and the Netherlanders were so simple, so relaxed, and so virtuosic, so unutterably charming that they were the clear first choice. While this recording by the Ensemble Villa Musica may not be a first choice, it is mighty close. In this the second of two discs dedicated to Strauss' woodwind chamber music, the Ensemble Villa Musica has the same sort of simple grace and easy virtuosity that distinguished de Waart and the Netherlanders. .

The Amadeus Winds were the wind players from the Handel&Haydn Society (Boston) when Christopher Hogwood was Music Director. They haven't played together since this recording was made, so this is a one-of disc. Mozart wrote wonderfully for wind instruments. These divertimenti are played on period instruments and the sound is never forced or shrill. A delight for lovers of wind bands.

It would be hard to find more appealing treatments of Mozart's wind concertos than these from Christopher Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music, featuring a distinguished group of period-instrument soloists. Leading the way, and playing a deliciously mellow-sounding basset clarinet, Anthony Pay gives a splendid account of what is surely Mozart's most beautiful concerto, the Clarinet Concerto in A, K. 622. Pay's shadings are soft and natural, his embellishments simply marvelous, and he and Hogwood are right on the mark when it comes to tempo, expression, and accent.

Now for the first time as an official reissue, famous German band Wind's legendary first album Seasons, originally released in 1971. This is a real German Krautrock classic album. The poetic and complexly crafted songs of the album were filled with extensive instrumentals and unusual diversions.

The Beethoven wind music is, happily, already well represented in the catalogues. None of the pieces listed above has needed the help of the composer's bi-centenary to achieve a recording; and only, I believe, the doubtfully attractive Trio for piano, flute and bassoon is not otherwise at present available. Indeed the catalogues go better than this, producing in addition to the above list the Duos for clarinet and bassoon, the Trio for two oboes and cor anglais (both of these a happier sound than you might think), the Trio for piano, clarinet and cello, the Octet Rondino, and some flute oddities perhaps most likely to appeal to connoisseurs of that instrument.

West Coast 60's inspired German prog/psych rock band. Their first album "Seasons" (1971) is considered to be a little classic in the early days of progressive rock. It features complex epic songs within heavy rock, psych-spaced out proportions. "Morning" (1972) is a catchy collection of almost conventional heavy rocking songs. Without gaining the commercial success, the band split in 1973. The drummer Lucky Schmidt will pursue his career with the band Aera.