Sound the Trumpet: Music by Henry Purcell and his followers

'A thoughtfully planned disc with plenty of variety … Expertly directed and stylishly played, this well-filled disc is highly recommended' (BBC Music Magazine)

'Universally full of spirit and charm … both trumpeters are on fine form, sounding effortlessly relaxed and beautifully matched, with an enticing sweetness of tone. Recommended' (Gramophone)

'C'est un disque joyeux' (Répertoire, France)

'Holman, of course, is now a past master with this kind of repertoire and the performances of all this music are outstanding, unaffected rhythmically, intensely alive and with alert and responsive playing that is as bright and refreshing as the music itself. Excellent recording. Strongly recommended' (Fanfare, USA)

Until the middle of the seventeenth century the trumpet was essentially a fanfare instrument, used in armies and at courts to invest ceremonial with grandeur. The earliest English truly 'composed' works for trumpet all come from odes and stage works, though they were often detached from their parent works to be performed separately - the practice followed here, in works by composers ranging from familiar names Purcell and Croft to the Moravian immigrant Gottfried Finger and William Corbett (last heard of in Italy, apparently as a spy for the British government).

The disc reveals the mastery of eleven works (with one, two or three soloists and varying accompaniment) by seven highly individual composers.