Album

Although "Papa" Haydn receives much of the credit and praise for the invention and modernization of the string quartet, half a continent away, another composer was hard at work doing the same thing, totally independent of Haydn. Luigi Boccherini contributed nearly 100 quartets to the repertoire, and like Haydn strove to achieve an independence between the four parts and incorporate some soloistic features to the parts of every player. While Boccherini may not have been the innovator Haydn was in terms of pushing formal and harmonic restraints to their limits, he did not bind himself to the traditional four-movement format, often completing quartets with only two or three movements. Despite his contributions and ability to write highly pleasing, memorable melodies, Boccherini's quartets are often overlooked. This Ars Musici album features an assortment of Boccherini's quartets in the hopes of revitalizing interest in the master's writings. Heard here is the Appónyi-Quartett, a period-instrument ensemble derived from members of the Freiburger Baroque Orchestra. The group highlights Boccherini's important use of dynamics and changes in color and timbre. Like good recordings of the Haydn quartets, these performances are not overly delicate or cautious. There's plenty of good gritty, exciting playing to be found along with sensitive, warm slow movements. Appónyi's sound quality is wonderfully pure and simple, unsullied by too much vibrato. At just over 54 minutes in length, it's a shame Ars Musici didn't choose to add two or three more quartets, which would have easily fit on the album and given listeners even more to enjoy.

© Mike D. Brownell, Rovi

CD 1
Luigi Boccherini Composer String Quartet in G-, G.205, Op.32, No.5 Work 15:32 Apponyi Quartett String Quartet
1	1.Allegro comodo	4:27			$0.99
2	2.Andantino	2:48			$0.99
3	3.Minuetto con moto	4:07			$0.99
4	4.Allegro	4:10			$0.99
Luigi Boccherini Composer String Quartet in G, G.223, Op.44, No.4 ('La tiranna') Work 9:01 Apponyi Quartett String Quartet
5	1.La Tiranna Spagnola	4:36			$0.99
6	2.Minuetto	4:25			$0.99
Luigi Boccherini Composer String Quartet in A, G.198, Op.26, No.4 Work 9:35 Apponyi Quartett String Quartet
7	1.Larghetto	5:14			$0.99
8	2.Minuetto	4:21			$0.99
Luigi Boccherini Composer String Quartet in A, G.170, Op.8, No.6 Work 13:34 Apponyi Quartett String Quartet
9	1.Allegro brillante	6:33			$0.99
10	2.Amoroso	3:08			$0.99
11	3.Allegro maestoso	3:53			$0.99
Luigi Boccherini Composer String Quartet in E-, G.211, Op.33, No.5 Work 6:41 Apponyi Quartett String Quartet
12	1.Allegro brillante	3:38			$0.99
13	2.Allegro vivo	3:03			$0.99