Ardinghello Ensemble - Ries: Flute Quartets, Vol. 2 (2019)

It is our good fortune that Ferdinand Ries bequeathed to posterity six remarkably beautiful Quartets for Flute, Violin, Viola, and Violoncello. These compositions sparkle like gems in the early Romantic chamber literature including the flute. On the present CD, Vol. 2 of our complete recording, his Quartets in G major and E minor Op. 145, 2 as well as his remarkable String Trio in E minor are heard. On the one hand, conventional elements verging on practically Baroque sequential processes stand out in the trio. On the other hand, here we also find innovative musical surprises and full-fledged, motivationally organized development sections, above all in the fourth movement. The violin part is very exceptionally demanding. In any event, the young Ries was able to compose a work representing a highly expressive contribution to the not exactly large number of string trios. In the chamber compositions recorded here Ries once again presents himself as a composer who experienced musical classicism first-hand and adapted it but then increasingly pursued his own path and found a unique personal style marking the beginning of a new world view. Following the release of our Vol. 1, Heinz Braun enthusiastically wrote in klassik-heute.com: I freely concede that over the years I have become a glowing admirer of the Bonn master and have impatiently awaited each new release. In the present case too, the wait has been well worth it. The Ardinghello Ensemble with the flutist Karl Kaiser succeeds overall with its fine sense of sound, supported by Manuel Braun’s outstanding sound technique.

Track List:
[06:42] 01. Ardinghello Ensemble - Flute Quartet No. 2 in G Major, WoO 35: I. Andante - II. Allegro
[04:16] 02. Ardinghello Ensemble - Flute Quartet No. 2 in G Major, WoO 35: III. Adagio con moto cantabile
[05:01] 03. Ardinghello Ensemble - Flute Quartet No. 2 in G Major, WoO 35: IV. Allegro vivace
[07:19] 04. Ardinghello Ensemble - String Trio No. 2 in E Minor, WoO 70: I. Allegro
[02:59] 05. Ardinghello Ensemble - String Trio No. 2 in E Minor, WoO 70: II. Menuetto
[05:50] 06. Ardinghello Ensemble - String Trio No. 2 in E Minor, WoO 70: III. Andante più allegretto
[05:24] 07. Ardinghello Ensemble - String Trio No. 2 in E Minor, WoO 70: IV. Vivace
[06:36] 08. Ardinghello Ensemble - Flute Quartet No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 145: I. Allegro moderato
[05:17] 09. Ardinghello Ensemble - Flute Quartet No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 145: II. Andante
[03:36] 10. Ardinghello Ensemble - Flute Quartet No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 145: III. Menuetto molto moderato
[05:18] 11. Ardinghello Ensemble - Flute Quartet No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 145: IV. Rondo. Allegro moderato