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Flute Quintet, Op. 1, 3; Divertimento, Op. 40; Grand Trio, Op. 8 on CD

Even at a young age, Bernhard Romberg and his cousin Andreas, ten months his senior, caused a sensation - as a violinist and cellist nonpareil respectively. They conquered Paris's Concerts spirituels, performed with Ludwig van Beethoven in the Bonn Court Orchestra starting in 1790 and remained virtually inseparable, though this did not prevent them from pursuing their own separate careers. After holding various posts, Andreas spent the final years of his life (until 1821) as a member of the Gotha court orchestra. His cousin rose to prominence becoming a virtuoso hailed as the Paganini of his instrument. It is only natural that the cello plays a central role in his compositions (he wrote a dozen solo concertos alone), but the instrument is also reflected favourably in his numerous chamber music works. Romberg was certainly not content to restrict himself to providing simple bass accompaniment for a demanding upper voice, but ensured that he and his circle of colleagues were given roles of equal importance. The result is a series of compositions that are as musically beautiful as they are structurally intriguing, some of which have a symphonic character - and which serve as wonderful complementary additions to the work of the "avant-gardist" Beethoven, with whom Romberg shared a long-standing friendship.