If there is something that cannot be missing at Christmas, it is festive sounds and atmospheric melodies: "Festive Trumpets for Christmas" is the new Christmas album by Matthias Höfs, on which the trumpeter presents a diverse program together with his brass ensemble and organist Christian Schmitt. The instruments of the musicians: inside sound thereby in triumphant, fine and brilliant nuances, which make up the splendor of Christmas. Works by Albinoni, Handel, Vivaldi, Morales and Scheidt can be heard; but also arrangements by Peter Lawrence, Nikolaus Herman and Matthias Höfs himself. Matthias Höfs performs with different ensemble constellations, sometimes with a trumpet quartet, sometimes with horn, trombone and tuba or bassoon, harpsichord and organ - thus the different characters of the instruments and their tonal richness are excellently reproduced. As sensitively as the musicians: listen to each other on the inside and tone the subtleties, an atmosphere of touching intimacy is created, of concentration on the core of the Christmas message: to us a child is born. Höfs' concern is to convey the specifically German tradition, both sonically and stylistically: "In times of globalization, when everything is geared toward international exchange, I want to help preserve this sound tradition and culture." The program reflects this desire. For example, he shows the chamber music side of the trumpet in his arrangements of Baroque sonatas by Albinoni and Handel. Also presented are the "Canzon Cornetto" by Samuel Scheidt for four trumpets and the famous Advent and Christmas carols "Maria durch ein' Dornwald ging," "Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen" and "Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, alle gleich," arranged by Peter Lawrence. in 2020 Matthias Höfs commissioned Erik Morales to write "The North Star Suite", which is recorded here for the first time. The latter wrote about it: "The piece is not intended to be a mere arrangement of Bach's masterpiece, but rather to glorify the greatness of his music in a new, creative way." Widely known is the Advent hymn "Tochter Zion," whose genesis has undergone remarkable transformations up to this album. For example, the choral movement was set by Handel in London in 1747; in 1797, Beethoven wrote twelve variations on it for cello and piano. The dynamic range of the musicians: inside and their tonal richness are surprising. With quiet mutes, they compete with the pianissimo of strings, but on the other hand, they can play open air without miking. "Brass players are enormously versatile," Höfs says. "In church, trombone choirs come together for festive services. For secular celebrations, we have brass bands and big bands. Music for brass reaches a large audience." Like no other instrument, the trumpet stands for the radiant gestures of Christmas music. Its brilliance and radiance are indispensable at Christmas and announce the Good News every year anew.