"These baroque composers knew the instrument they were writing for," says Alison Balsom. Her album Royal Fireworks captures the joy and solemnity of this dazzling musical era, through trumpet works by Handel, Purcell, Bach, and Telemann.

"I’ve been making recordings for almost 20 years and this has been by far the most enjoyable recording experience I’ve had," says Alison. "The music is full of utter joy and magic, the versions we play are often new, and in some cases quite maverick. The thrill of recording with some of the greatest artists around, all of us on Baroque instruments, who happen to also be my good friends, has been a privilege."