Catalogue

Summary:

“Walker’s boldness, already in evidence on two earlier albums, gives emotional depth to music that is often played too prettily … Walker clearly relishes this part, tinging her allegro melodies with dancing arabesques that fill her line with an impish, infectious humour. In adagio movements, she introduces vibrato and additions at just the right moment for the music to peak emotionally” ★★★★★ – BBC Music Magazine

“The performances of Walker and her octet are almost intoxicating in vitality and absolute unanimity, alternating between refined elegance, intimate beauty and occasional cheekiness. A favourite composer of mine for decades, Boccherini binds the rococo and the early classical, and could do with a revival in this country. Walker’s enthusiasm and her inspirational performances would be a welcome start to that” ★★★★1/2 – The Australian

“Each one like a miniature universe, Walker and Friends created a memorable concert of music that will be long remembered and maybe, it might even create a revival of Boccherini’s woodwind music” – Limelight

“In a rare treat for Canberra music lovers, flautist Sally Walker joined by musician-collaborators from Adelaide, brought to life the flute quintets of Italian composer Luigi Boccherini” – Canberra City News

“It’s his less well-known works for flute that Dr Sally Walker presents on this brilliant 2CD set together with eight Australian colleagues drawn from various orchestras and musical groups … the six quintets of his Opus 19 … are all both lively and gracious” CD of the Week – 2mbs Radio, Sydney, Australia

“The delights just keep coming in this rather special album” – 5mbs 99.9 FM Radio, Adelaide, Australia

“All the performers handle the inherently cooperative nature of chamber music of this time period with sensitivity and skill, blending well as an ensemble and standing out whenever a single instrument is given a brief opportunity to shine … thoroughly engaging release concludes with a Quintetto for flute, oboe, violin, viola, and cello that is of uncertain provenance but attributed to Boccherini. Whatever its origin, it is a work that certainly shares the charms and delicacies of the other pieces offered here, and it brings out the same level of cooperative skill that the performers confer upon the rest of these unusually pleasant pieces” – Infodad

“…everything on the album is played with the proper relaxed grace by flutist Sally Walker and a shifting group of accompanimental players. This music has the same elegantly entertaining quality that it had when it first appeared (mostly in the early 1750s) more than two and a half centuries ago” – AllMusic

“they play like members of an orchestra would, in cooperative, balanced, blended exchange. If you’d like to hear members of a good professional orchestra in chamber music like this, for mixed ensembles of strings and winds, by a Spanish-Italian contemporary of the Haydns and Mozarts, you’ll find 8 selections to enjoy” – American Record Guide

“This is a simply gorgeous album” – CD Hot List

Late 18^th century Italian composer Luigi Boccherini produced a vast catalogue of compositions, several of which were chamber works featuring the flute. Australian flautist Sally Walker, whose first appearance on AVIE was in collaboration with harpist Emily Granger on the album Something Like This, has taken a deep dive into the provenance of Boccherini’s works for her instrument to produce a 90-minute, 2-for-the-price-of-one volume of music that is infinitely elegant, virtuosic and beautifully refined. The relatively rare yet imaginative Six Quintets, Op. 19, for two violins, flute, viola and cello vary in their configuration, some intimate, others on a grander scale reminiscent of the composer’s orchestral music. Also included are the first “Divertimento Notturno” from the Sextet, Op. 38 for violin, viola, bassoon, flute, horn and double bass; and, as a “bonus” the Quintet G.443 for flute, oboe, violin, viola and cello, a work attributed to Boccherini. Although its authorship is contested, as Sally says, “it is such a beautiful work that we wanted to include it anyway.”

Tracklist:

LUIGI BOCCHERINI (1743–1805)

Disc 1 (70:01)

Flute Quintet Op. 19, No. 1 in E Flat Major, G.425
1. I. Allegretto con moto
2. II. Minuetto (Con moto) – Trio

Flute Quintet Op. 19, No. 2 in G Minor, G.426
3. I. Allegro con un poco di moto
4. II. Minuetto (Con moto) – Trio

Flute Quintet Op. 19, No. 3 in C Major, G.427
5. I. Andante non troppo
6. II. Rondeau (Grazioso)

Flute Quintet Op. 19, No. 4 in D Major, G.428
7. I. Adagio assai
8. II. Minuetto (Con moto) – Trio

Flute Quintet Op. 19, No. 5 in B Flat Major, G.429
9. I. Allegro moderato
10. II. Allegro presto assai

Flute Quintet Op. 19, No. 6 in D Major, G.430 ‘Las Parejas’
11. I. Entrada: (Andante) – Marcha
12. II. Galope –
13. – Como la Entrada (Andante) – Marcha

Disc 2 (30:05)

Sextet in E Flat Major, Op. 38, No. 1, G.467
1. I. Andante lento
2. II. Allegro ma non presto
3. III. Tempo di Minuetto – Trio

Flute Quintet in C Major, G.443
4. I. Allegro non troppo
5. II. Allegretto
6. III. Tempo di Minuetto (Vars. I–XII)

Total duration: 106 minutes