Antonio Vivaldi had his own cello specialist for part of his tenure at the Ospedale della Pietà, and there were several other virtuoso cellists in his orbit. His six sonatas for cello and continuo, of an unknown date of composition, are surprisingly simple technically and may have been intended as teaching pieces at the Ospedale. Most Baroque cellists and viol players, as well as quite a few performers on the modern cello, have recorded them, but this set by Dutch-Swiss cellist Roel Dieltiens stands out as dramatic and adventurous.

While not altogether uncommon, a coupling of Dvorák's Piano Quintet, Op. 81, with his Bagatelles, Op. 47, is still rare enough to make the prospect of this Harmonia Mundi release with Roel Dieltiens' Ensemble Explorations interesting. Listening to it, however, elevates it to fascinating. The immense power and passion not to mention the strong tone, tight ensemble, and in-the-pocket tempos -of Dieltiens' group plus pianist Frank Braley make a compelling case for the quintet.

In their general layout and their style, the three quintets recorded here illustrate Boccherini’s formal variety and freedom: whether first violin and first cello are deliberately highlighted, or the roles are distributed in more balanced fashion, this composer had an unrivalled ability to use the group of instruments to create a limpid, shimmering soundscape, traversed by fleeting zones of shadow and sudden bursts of light.