Ritter: Six Quartets for Bassoon and Strings, Op. 1

George Wenzel Ritter (1748–1808) was a bassoonist at the Mannheim court and was known throughout Europe as a virtuoso player. Many composers wrote bassoon parts in their own works with Ritter in mind, and Ritter himself composed for the instrument. His quartets for bassoon and strings show the technical level at which he operated and which rivaled that of the flute and string instruments. Very little chamber music for bassoon is known to survive from the eighteenth century, since the instrument was often relegated to accompaniments. Ritter's quartets show the bassoon of that period in a different light. This edition presents Ritter's quartets for the first time in a modern edition, a welcome contribution to the chamber music repertoire as well as to the repertoire for bassoon.

Quartet No. 1 in C Major

  Allegro

  Rondeau

Quartet No. 2 in F Major

  Allegro non tanto

  Tempo di Minuetto

Quartet No. 3 in B-flat Major

  Allegro

  Rondeau

Quartet No. 4 in E-flat Major

  Allegro

  Rondo gracioso—Allegro

Quartet No. 5 in G Major

  Allegro
  Minuetto—Trio

Quartet No. 6 in F Major

  Allegro moderato

  Tempo di Minuetto