Hailed by the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians as ‘the most important English concerto composer of the 18th century’, Charles Avison was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where his tireless activities as a teacher, conductor, entrepreneur as well as composer, established him as the leading musical figure of Northern England. The Twelve Concertos, Op. 6 which here receive their world première recording, were written at the height of Avison’s creative powers. Bridging the Italian concerto grosso style that Avison had learned from Geminiani, and the beginnings of sonata form with which Haydn and J.C. Bach had already begun to experiment in their symphonies, they are fresh, finely wrought and expressive works.