Massonneau: 3 Duos Concertante, Op. 9

Despite his French name, Louis Massonneau was a German composer, born in Kassel in 1766 and dying at the venerable age of 82 in MecklenburgVorpommern in 1848. His father was chef to the Landgrave Friedrich II of Hessen-Kassel, and Louis received his musical training at the hands of the court musicians in Kassel, soon becoming a violinist in the court orchestra. Massonneau left behind a fairly substantial catalogue. Almost completely unknown apart from a trio of oboe quartets, it includes three symphonies, twelve symphonies and six violin concertos, doubtless written with his own talents in mind. These three Duos Concertante probably date from Massonneau's time in Altona, when he came to know the cellist Martin Calmus. Required to perform duets for the entertainment of those attending 'Musical Academies', Massonneau doubtless found a dearth of such repertoire, and wrote it afresh. Each duo is cast in three movements, skilfully varied in form from the others, in which lyrical expression is tempered by a touch of irony. Demian and Dylan Baraldi have made this recording with the cooperation of the Edition Massonneau, and authoritative booklet notes from the Edition illuminate the composer's life and work.