Boccherini: Cello Sonatas

"Boccherini could hardly be boring if he tried, and these cello sonatas (of which he wrote thirty-four!) are full of attractive invention. They could hardly be more persuasively played. The A major Sonata which opens the disc is particularly enticing, warmly melodic and with fizzing display passages which Christian Benda handles with easy virtuosity against the simple fortepiano backing. The finale is marked Affetuoso, which sums up this team's approach throughout. The F minor Sonata was discovered as recently as 1987 and has a lovely Cantabile siciliano for its slow movement which is quite haunting in the hands of these players. In short this is a first-class disc, very naturally recorded." Penguin Guide