The melting beauty of Arcangelo Corelli's justifiably famous "Pastorale" movement from his Concerto grosso in G minor, Op. 6, No. 8, seems to have suggested the idea for this very appealing recording of Italian Baroque music. The explicit pastoral Christmas theme of both the Corelli and Alessandro Scarlatti's 'Cantata pastorale' invites the listener to hear the trumpet featured in Alessandro Stradella's Sonata as a seraphic herald and the oboe featured in the concertos of Alessandro Marcello and Tomaso Albinoni as a shepherd's adoration. Under Helmut Mueller-Bruehl's sensitive direction, the Cologne Chamber Orchestra gives precise and joy-filled readings of this festive music.