It cannot be said often enough that Eudora belongs to a small but select group of independent classical music editors, keeping a declining Super Audio in physical format (or any format, for that matter) afloat for a niche of discerning music lovers for whom only the best will do. No PCM stereo only, no remastered old material (although some of it is of a high standard), no FLAC/WAW download, but newly engineered multi-channel SACD using the best available equipment.

But that’s only half the story. With this latest release, Gonzalo Noqué has produced an album that may, without exaggeration, be called a must-have. Why? Firstly, these are Sonatas that hardly anyone, or perhaps even nobody, knew existed; secondly, they are of exemplary ingenuity and beauty; and finally, they are played by three hand-picked musicians on (copies of) original instruments.

Looking at the programme, it once more dawned on me how little many of us know about Spanish composers and musical wealth. I grew up with musicologists holding the view that music from the Italian masters developed into the European heartland, Austria and Germany. I have a two-volume handbook of Music History written in 1916 by Henry Viotta, Director of the Royal Conservatorium at The Hague, and, therefore, by no means an ignoramus in this field. In neither volume is there a reference to Spain. Not even a word about Albéniz or Granados, to name just two Spanish composers active before its publishing date. An unforgivable omission? Absolutely! High time to set the record straight.

The 11 Sonatas from the archives of the Royal Chapel of Madrid, composed by 5 different Spanish composers and one Italian (Gaetano Brunetti), were written for the purpose of auditioning applicants for vacant positions. Meant for testing ‘sight reading’, they are filled with stumbling blocks to assist examiners in not only selecting the right applicant based on ‘best rehearsed’ material. That said, each of the ‘audition’ compositions is a jewel in its own right and a joy to listen to.

They provide insight into the high level of Spanish musical activity in an epoch lasting from 1778 to 1819 or thereabouts. That is when Haydn was still going strong. Comparing these trios with those from Haydn, I couldn’t help thinking in terms of local food for the stomach rather than the spirit: it is like Wiener schnitzel versus Mediterranean paella. Not better, but different in stylish melody and affecting invention, and more complex than the repetitious scores of the famous Italian, Luigi Boccherini. In short, these Sonatas are a complete ear-opener.

As hinted above, the three musicians give their best to put the ultimate cherry on the cake. All of them are of confirmed competence, as the listener can learn from the liner notes. And I’m pleased to concur. Whether or not the viola player, Pablo de Pedro Cano, is sight-reading, if I were an examiner at the Royal Chapel, I would have no hesitation in recommending him for a vacant position, or even to create one if there weren’t any.

In Noqué’s high-resolution setup, there is no escaping. The recorded sound is as clear and natural as can be heard in a concert venue. It lays bare every single note played by both the violist and the cellist (Lorenzo Meseguer) with elegant articulation and perfect intonation, whilst showcasing their uninhibited emotional involvement. The harpsichord clearly has been given a supportive role in each of the Sonatas and is, therefore, less prominent in this marvellous, chamber-like soundscape.

Taking all three aspects together, the music, the performance and the engineering, I think that we have here an outright winner that should not be missed.

Blangy-le-Château, Normandy, France.

Copyright © 2026 Adrian Quanjer and HRAudio.net

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