Carlini:Martini:Zaltron:Bosna - RITTER, G.W.: Six Quartets for Bassoon and Strings, Op. 1

A friend of Mozart in Mannheim and Paris, and later in Munich, Georg Wenzel Ritter was among the leading bassoonists of his time. His Six Quartets, for bassoon and string trio, are testimony to his skills both as a composer and a player. Much admired by Mozart who referred to him as a \fine bassoon player and playfully addressed him as our good wood-biter (in reference to the bassoon reeds), Ritter served in the famous Mannheim orchestra and in Munich before joining the musical establishment of King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, at a generous salary reflecting the high esteem in which he was held. With regard to extant literature, very little chamber music for bassoon is known for the eighteenth century, since the instrument was often relegated to accompaniments. Ritter's quartets show the bassoon of that period in a different light. Paulo Carlini takes the helm in these effervescent works, transporting the bassoon away from its stolid stereotype and proving its worth as a delightful solo instrument in a chamber ensemble.