Bossi: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2

Marco Enrico Bossi gained fame as one of the most influential Italian organ virtuosos of his day, and as a composer who helped lay the foundations for a new tradition of instrumental music in a country dominated by opera. Bossi's First Violin Sonata has cyclical forms and a density of ideas that put it in line with César Franck's famous sonata, with melodies as expressive as those of Rachmaninov. The Second Violin Sonata recalls a Classical style that refers more to Beethoven and Brahms while displaying the eloquence of Bossi's personal idiom. Both of these works reveal a composer whose chamber music stands equal to the most renowned works produced in the late 19th century.