A triangular flash in the top left­hand corner of the cover of this CD carries the somewhat brazen statement ‘Rossini’s last orchestral work: World Premiere’. The claim is lodged on behalf of a bassoon concerto which Nazzareno Gatti (1822­93) alleged Rossini wrote for him during Gatti’s time as a student at Bologna’s Liceo Musicale in the mid­1840s. Since Rossini was an ‘honorary adviser’ to the Liceo at this time‚ it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that he had contact with him. That he wrote a concerto for him – the booklet note suggests a Concerto da esperimento written for Gatti to play as part of his final examinations – seems improbable. In poor health‚ Rossini wrote virtually no new music during this period. A full­scale Bassoon Concerto by him would have been the talk of the Europe and a handsome ‘earner’ to boot. It is possible that Rossini provided Gatti with some ideas but there is little here that is properly ‘worked’. A melodically earnest slow movement is framed by a pair of jaunty outer movements which contain a number of characteristic effects but the overall effect is one of pastiche. The student works which help make up this by no means disagreeable anthology – the Variations and the Introduction‚ Theme and Variations – don’t sound especially Rossinian either but they‚ at least‚ are incontrovertibly his. Most enjoyable of all is Giovanni Sollima’s lavish transcription for cello and strings of ‘Une larme’‚ one of the late Péchés de vieillesse‚ originally written for cello and piano. The performances are exceptionally well recorded (too well recorded when the breathing is intense or the fingering obtrusive) and the various soloists play with a relish and warmth which most of the music requires but does not necessarily deserve.