As a composer, Eybler was exceptional. Blessed with an excellent grasp of form, counterpoint, and the ability to write melodies that linger in one’s memory more than occasionally, he produced some fine works during his career, including a clarinet concerto for Mozart’s Masonic brother, Anton Stadler (Novalis 150 061), several symphonies (two of which, along with an overture, can be found on cpo 777 104). Eybler’s fin du temps oratorio Die vier letzten Dinge, his Requiem in C Minor, and the Christmas oratorio Der Hitren bei der Krippe zu Bethlehem have been recorded and are also available on cpo.

The addition of these two chamber works to the Eybler discography are most welcome and point toward the possibility of more of his music seeing the light of day. Little is known about the circumstances that led to the birth of these works, but we do know that around the end of the 18th century, Eybler turned his attention to chamber music. The trio (the only one by Eybler to be discovered thus far) followed a set of string quartets that were engraved as op. 1 in 1794. String trios of the day were written for two violins and cello, but Eybler substitutes a viola for the second violin, a practice that was not widely adopted until the final quarter of the 19th century. Haydn is the model here, and Eybler provides each of the protagonists with challenging and rewarding passages throughout the work. The quintet—dating from 1803—is also of a different makeup. Where Mozart added a second viola to the normal string quartet and Boccherini appended a second cello, Eybler dispenses with the second violin, and uses not one but two violas and a double bass.

The Deutsches Streichtrio must be counted among that nation’s most brilliant and gifted ensembles. They have participated in chamber music programs with the likes of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Aurèle Nicolet, and Krystian Zimmermann as well as being part of many of the world’s most prominent chamber-music festivals; the artists who join them for the quintet are equally well credentialed. The performances are erudite, articulate, polished, and poised. Exceptional attention is given to phrasing and articulation; the entire presentation is energetic as well as satisfying from beginning to end.

A full-scale reevaluation of Eybler’s catalog may be several years or even decades away, but each new release of music by this able musician and composer proves that more than the occasional diamond can be found among the sapphires. Eybler’s star will never shine as brightly as that of his friend Mozart, but it surely will take its place in the musical firmament among the most talented of the second-echelon composers.

FANFARE: Michael Carter