Rossini: String Sonatas Nos. 4-6 – Hoffmeister: Solo Quartets Nos. 3 & 4 Minna Pensola, Antti Tikkanen, Tuomas Lehto, Niek de Groot

• Gioachino Rossini (1792 - 1868): Sonata No. 4 in B Flat Major:
• 1 Sonata No. 4 in B Flat Major: I. Allegro vivace 10:53
• 2 Sonata No. 4 in B Flat Major: II. Andante 03:44
• 3 Sonata No. 4 in B Flat Major: III. Allegretto 02:54
• Franz Anton Hoffmeister (1754 - 1812): Solo Quartet No. 3 in D Major:
• 4 Solo Quartet No. 3 in D Major: I. Moderato 05:32
• 5 Solo Quartet No. 3 in D Major: II. Adagio 04:06
• 6 Solo Quartet No. 3 in D Major: III. Tempo di minuetto 03:51
• Gioachino Rossini: Sonata No. 5 in E Flat Major:
• 7 Sonata No. 5 in E Flat Major: I. Allegro vivace 07:36
• 8 Sonata No. 5 in E Flat Major: II. Andante 03:08
• 9 Sonata No. 5 in E Flat Major: III. Allegretto 03:21
• Franz Anton Hoffmeister: Solo Quartet No. 4 in D Major:
• 10 Solo Quartet No. 4 in D Major: I. Allegro moderato 04:12
• 11 Solo Quartet No. 4 in D Major: II. Menuett 03:17
• 12 Solo Quartet No. 4 in D Major: III. Andante 03:38
• 13 Solo Quartet No. 4 in D Major: IV. Rondo 03:01
• Gioachino Rossini: Sonata No. 6 in D Major:
• 14 Sonata No. 6 in D Major: I. Allegro spirituoso 07:44
• 15 Sonata No. 6 in D Major: II. Andante assai 02:09
• 16 Sonata No. 6 in D Major: III. Allegro 05:38
• Total Runtime 01:14:44

Info for Rossini: String Sonatas Nos. 4-6 – Hoffmeister: Solo Quartets Nos. 3 & 4

This second and last volume completes two different sets of string quartets: the four so-called Solo Quartets by Franz Anton Hoffmeister and Gioachino Rossini’s six String Sonatas (or Sonate a quattro). Both sets differ from the ‘normal’ configuration in that they allow a double bass to take part, albeit in different roles. Rossini, who composed his sonatas at the age of 12 (!), left out the viola and gave the double bass a more or less conventional bass role – apart from the occasional virtuosic outburst. The sonatas were first published in an arrangement for traditional string quartet and are often heard performed by string orchestras.

In Vienna, where he was active as a composer and music publisher, Hoffmeister (1754-1812) chose a different solution than Rossini and gave his double bass player a leading role in the ensemble, letting it replace the first violin. It was no coincidence that this happened in Vienna – considering the amount of solo works for the double bass composed there, the standard of playing must have been exceptional. On the present recording, it is the Dutch player Niek de Groot who takes up Hoffmeister’s challenge in the company of a Finnish trio consisting of Minna Pensola, Antti Tikkanen and Tuomas Lehto. Featuring the same team, Volume 1 (BIS-2317) was described by a reviewer in Gramophone as ‘entertaining, effortlessly enjoyable and beautifully performed’ upon its release in 2017.

Minna Pensola, violin
Antti Tikkanen, violin, viola
Tuomas Lehto, cello
Niek de Groot, double bass

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Booklet for Rossini: String Sonatas Nos. 4-6 – Hoffmeister: Solo Quartets Nos. 3 & 4