Boccherini String Quartets op 32 played by the Esterhazy Quartet

[salymap]

I was very pleased to receive aPM yesterday from Gamba, who hasn't posted for some time. He has had two spells in hospital, but is now at home recovering.

He says he derived great pleasure from the above recording and wonders if anyone has thoughts/views on it.

I'm sure a PM or message here would be welcome and he sends best wishes to everyone and hopes to return to the MBs soon.

[french frank]

I don't know the Op 32 quartets at all, and can't find anything on YouTube (plenty of quintets).

Very good to hear news of Gamba and hope he's making a speedy recovery - best wishes!

[Roehre]

I don't know the Op 32 quartets at all, and can't find anything on YouTube (plenty of quintets).

Very good to hear news of Gamba and hope he's making a speedy recovery - best wishes!

All the best to Gamba.
I'll try to find them throught their catalogue numbers G.201 - G.206.

(Wll done Salymap, btw )

[Roehre]

Of these quartets only one reco0rding seems to exist (the Esterhazys' recording that is), and -as FF already pointed out- nothing at all at youtube I'm afraid.

The 2CD set of the complete quartets: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Boccherini-S...9&sr=1-2-fkmr0

[LeMartinPecheur]

It will be very good to have Gamba back and posting. Best wishes Gamba!

[french frank]

Thanks for ther Amazon link, Roehre. It has one of those unfathomable comments:

'27 new from £5.26 1 used from £15.41' - any ideas on the value added of the used copy?

PS I've just bagged the one at £5.26

[Richard Tarleton]

Hello Gamba, hope to see you back here soon. I don't know these recordings, but by coincidence have been listening to no's 3-6 on the Naxos recording by the Quartetto Borciani - a quartet of students of Paolo Borciani of Quartetto Italiano fame which was founded in 1984, apparently. I have a very soft spot for Boccherini because he wrote for the guitar!

Best wishes,
Richard

[ardcarp]

Thanks for drawing our attention to the Boccherini SQs, Gamba. They will go on my (already rather long) Christmas list. Amazon will be doing well out of us, I think...and thanks for the link, Roehre.

Look forward to hearing from you again on the MBs, Gamba.

[salymap]

I found them by Googling on my Email page, however my computer ground to a halt so I switched off hurredly.

It looks as though there are two sets of op32 quartets. Yes, would be nice to have Gamba back

[doversoul1]

I am sorry to hear that Gamba wasn’t well but very glad to hear that he is at home recovering. Boccherini sounds a very Gamba-ish choice.

Get well soon, Gamba and tell us more of your wondrous tales.

And thank you, salymap for letting us know.

[John Shelton]

Yes I know the recording well; the quartet is led by Jaap Schröder. The CDS are reissued http://www.amazon.co.uk/Boccherini-S...0&sr=1-3-fkmr0, and they contain some lovely works most sensitively performed: with that strange mix of high spirits and undertow of melancholy so characteristic of Boccherini.

The op. 2 quartets are also good and this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Boccherini-Q...775822&sr=1-15 should cheer you up!

Get well soon Gamba!

[Nick Armstrong]

Thanks for ther Amazon link, Roehre. It has one of those unfathomable comments:

'27 new from £5.26 1 used from £15.41' - any ideas on the value added of the used copy?

PS I've just bagged the one at £5.26

Downloaders and those wishing to sample the odd movement should note that they can do so here, for 69p a pop: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B.../ref=dm_sp_alb

Talking of "the odd movement", I love the tempo indication of the first movement of Op 32 No 4:

Allegro bizarre....!!

I'm going to have to download that for a start, to see what it's like!

Greetings to gamba and best wishes and thanks for setting a number of us, it seems, on a new train of discovery!!

EDIT: it's too good to miss, I've downloaded the whole lot. They shall accompany me on the next trip to my favourite town anywhere, Luigi B's birthplace Lucca

Grazie mille, Gamba !!

[MickyD]

I seem to remember that the Esterhazys also recorded the Mozart "Haydn" quartets a long time ago for L'Oiseau Lyre...I don't think they ever made it to CD, does anyone remember what they were like?

But I must check out the Boccherini, a favourite composer of mine and normally anything on the old Das Alte Werk label is worth listening to.
Hurry back, Gamba, you are much missed!

[Flosshilde]

Thanks for ther Amazon link, Roehre. It has one of those unfathomable comments:

'27 new from £5.26 1 used from £15.41' - any ideas on the value added of the used copy?

I suppose it depends on who used them?

Gamba - I hope you feel well enough soon to re-join us. I've been 'aware' of Bocherini for a while (I think I have a Vinyl recording of some mandolin concertos) but haven't really searched his music out. I'll have to follow up the quartets that have given you so much support.

[french frank]

Yes I know the recording well; the quartet is led by Jaap Schröder. The CDS are reissued http://www.amazon.co.uk/Boccherini-S...0&sr=1-3-fkmr0, and they contain some lovely works most sensitively performed: with that strange mix of high spirits and undertow of melancholy so characteristic of Boccherini.

The op. 2 quartets are also good and this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Boccherini-Q...775822&sr=1-15 should cheer you up!

And while waiting for my Boccherinis to arrive (just been out to look - no, they're not there yet!) I was playing some Mozart by the Smithson Q - also led by Jaap Schröder.