Let’s face it: these adaptations by Boccherini of some of his other compositions won’t shake the world. Charles Burney’s epithets about the string quintets, ‘ingenious, elegant and pleasing’ are apposite, too, though G451 offers something deeper. But to call it ‘possibly a self-portrait of his tranquil and pensive old age’ as does Emilio Moreno, first violinist and annotator of the booklet, may be a little far-fetched given that the composer’s last years were dogged by poverty. Nevertheless, the comment suggests a seriousness of intent, though in practice such seriousness leads to interpretations that often lean more heavily on the pieces than their slender frames can bear. A dense style of playing and an earnest gait in the slow movement of this Quintet overloads its delicately expressive nature; and when sobriety is applied to the Fandango of G448, the result borders on tedium.
In sum, these performances, with a soloist who isn’t as assertive as he might be, are zealous rather than inspired. But the string players are technically very good and the second violinist sits on the right – a nice touch that helps to clarify the writing. Sound and balance are equally good, though a lower-than-usual volume setting is necessary. The snag is that the versions by Romero and co are considerably finer, lifting the music through airy textures and buoyant accents. Moreover, Philips’s twofer gives all eight quintets for the same price as this disc.'