Customer Reviews

Rosetti: String Quartets, Op. 6, Nos. 1-6

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Over the last 6 months I have been researching and finding many forgotten 18th century composers. Here is another one, Antonio Rosetti(formerly Franz Anton Rosler)was born in Leitmeritz in N. Bohemia and adopted an Italian name. Of the 400 or so musicial pieces he wrote, much of it has been misattributed or lost. Apparrently, Rosler was a common name in the 18th century. Out of the twenty SQs written only nine survived including this set of six. These are quite good not Mozart or Vanhal, but excellent, an abundance of counterpoint and good first violin soloing in the fast mvt.s. They do sound a bit like Haydn. The last three SQs I believe are the best. As with many CPO releases this recording and performance is very well done.

For years I had Rosetti's Quartet no. 1, enjoying it as a gem-like example of early Classical, or the term I like, Rococo. Though Rosetti is little known, he was one of those marvelous composers whose works seem to come from the soul of an era and its sensibility. The quartets op. 6 typify the courtly, witty, refined, balanced and tasteful spirit of the fine arts in the final third of the eighteenth century. Moreover, this well-crafted music is freshly entertaining, a pleasure to listen to. The no. 1 was the only quartet obtainable, as far as I could determine, until this CD appeared. The Arioso Quartet's performance makes the most of Rosetti's talent as a composer, and cpo's recording is superb, as usual. Unfortunately, there seem to be scarcely any other recordings by the Arioso Quartet. They should unearth other neglected quartets from the same era.