Four out of six of the string sonatas by opera composer Rossini. Quite unusual works: they asked for two violins, a cello and a double bass. A bit like a string quartet, but with a sonata structure. The added double bass creates more room for the cello to not have to take care of the bass, but the missing viola gives it a bit unbalanced character.
They were composed in 1804, when Rossini was only twelve years old. To label these as youth works is an understatement. They were lost for a long time, only to resurface as late as 1954 in the Library of Congress in the US.
This performance fails to peak my interest however. Somehow it is all too romantic, too much lush, full bodied tones. a short tour along what streaming has to offer gives me so much better performances. I don’t recommend this one.