The novelty of Franz Anton Hoffmeister’s double bass quartets lies in
his substitution of that husky-voiced instrument for the first violin in
a regular string quartet line-up. Seldom heard in such a prominent
position the double bass reveals itself as a good humoured and
surprisingly expressive vehicle for Hoffmeister’s amiably melodic
writing. It also gives an especially haunting melancholic quality to
Schubert’s much-loved Arpeggione Sonata, not merely in the beautiful
Adagio but also in the more agile outer movements.
"Franz Anton Hoffmeister (1754-1812) was a quite prolific classical
composer whose music has only been intermittently recorded so far. It
isn’t particularly serious in mood, but it is well worth exploring. Duka
is a remarkable player with a lightness of touch that must have seemed
even more remarkable in 1980 when these pieces were recorded.
…I would recommend this disc for the Hoffmeister alone." --American Record Guide, July 2011
…I would recommend this disc for the Hoffmeister alone." --American Record Guide, July 2011
