Of many trio sonatas written during the 150-year history of this genre the set composed in 1721–2 by Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679–1745) is certainly among the most striking and unusual. Extreme both in their dimensions and their demands on the performer, they unite sophisticated formal designs with exhilarating virtuosity.

These sonatas appeared in print for the first time three decades ago in the series “ Hortus Musicus ” edited by Camillo Schoenbaum , a pathbreaking publication that ushered in ...