FRANZ KROMMER (1759-1831): Oboe Quartet No. 3 in F, Oboe Quintets No. 1 in C and No. 2 in D Flat.

Description: First recording for the quartet, which exists only in a handwritten copy made in 1962 from a Czech archive (the quintets, while apparently not first recordings, exist only in parts in the Salzburg State Library). The level of virtuosity for the oboist is significant, with a higher tessitura than, say, from Mozart's period and the compositional style compares with Haydn and Beethoven. Although this item will appear in the yet-to-be-printed 2007 Naxos catalogue, there are no plans to release it in the U.S. Nancy Ambrose King (oboe), Solomia Soroka (violin), Eva Stern, Joseph Kam (violas), Natalia Khoma (cello).