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I think the problem with Boccherini is the same
as the problem with Telemann. Beethoven is occasionally great, occasionally
terrible. Beethoven asks us to forgive him, and we are flattered
for that, we forgive him, and we love him for it. Mozart and Schubert
were unapproachable geniuses, but their need for us to love
them brims over out of every phrase, and we love them. But Telemann
and Boccherini (Boccherini was a greater composer than Telemann)
don’t care whether we love them or not, and there is nothing to
forgive. They produced music as effortlessly as the Spring produces
flowers, in incredible quantities, gorgeous beyond imagining, in
stupefying variety but all of the same quality. But they don’t need
us to like them. The nineteenth century resented them for this,
downgraded them to mere compilers of exercises, and went looking
for somebody to forgive.
These works are all in two movements, generally
fast and fast, but there are surprises. The flute parts are generally
not elaborate, but, well, there are surprises. The performances
are excellent; these musicians play beautifully together like one
expects from a great string quartet. The flautist is as willing
to let her tone blend symphonically with the strings as she is eager
to take the spotlight when it is offered. There are some very difficult
turns of phrase here and they pass effortlessly and with great musicality.
And, as generally with Boccherini, the sense of having a good time
is mostly evident, but, well, again, as always, there are surprises.
If Boccherini had written just one of these quintets
and nothing more he would be regarded as a great composer. But he
didn’t stop with one, he was in fact almost as prolific as Telemann!
Boccherini was a cellist. These are flute quartets, right? The flute
is supposed to get the spotlight. But listen to how the cellist
keeps trying to upstage the flute; at times it’s like the scene
in ‘Auntie Mame’.
My ‘employer’ has asked me to listen to this CD
and pick my three favourite moments. What a joke! Between you and
me I flipped a coin.
If you listen to nothing but Palestrina, Wagner,
or Webern, you probably won’t like this disk. For the rest of us,
do yourself a big favour.
Paul Shoemaker
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CDTnº1 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in B flat Major, Op.19 No.5
CDTnº2 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in B flat Major, Op.19 No.5
CDTnº3 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in E flat Major, Op.17. No.6
CDTnº4 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in E flat Major, Op.17. No.6
CDTnº5 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in G Minor, Op.19 No.2
CDTnº6 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in G Minor, Op.19 No.2
CDTnº7 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in G Major, Op.17 No.5
CDTnº8 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in G Major, Op.17 No.5
CDTnº9 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in D Major, Op.19 No.4
CDTnº10 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in D Major, Op.19 No.4
CDTnº11 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in D Major, Op.17 No.1
CDTnº12 - L. BOCCHERINI
Flute
Quintet in D Major, Op.17 No.1
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Beatrice Jaermann-Degix,
flute 