Auser Musici - Luigi Boccherini: Flute Quintets Op.19 (2008)

When Boccherini's six quintets for flute and string quartet were published in 1776, the composer described them as "opera piccolo" (little works) because of their generally brief character. But in these splendid performances by Italian Auser Musici, the flute quintets need no disclaimers, and they sound fully equal to the composer's string quintets. Flutist Carlo Ipata takes the lead, and his playing perfectly matches Boccherini's sweet-toned but technically challenging music. Though the string players take a lesser role in the proceedings, violinists Luca Ronconi and Francesco La Bruna, violist Teresa Ceccato, and cellist Luigi Puxeddu are all admirable in ensemble, and in their willingness to support Ipata. As for the works themselves, they are lyrical, delightfully balanced, and strongly rhythmic -- qualities typical of the composer at his best. The sixth quintet, "Las Parejas (The Couples)," which is in three movements instead of two like the rest of the set, depicts a type of Spanish horse race run in pairs (hence the title). It is as charming a piece of program music as the composer's famous "La musica notturna delle strade di Madrid." Recorded in the Oratorio di S. Domenico in Pisa, Hyperion's digital sound is evocative, but a bit diffuse around the edges.