George Onslow's Chamber Music

[Double-A]

There are actually only four, op. 11 no. 1 and 2 are missing (does anybody know where a copy of the old editions might be found?).
As to a recommendation:  It is a pretty difficult choice because they are quite different in character.  No. 3 in f-minor is very good in its way (if you like f-minor works) but is overly dominated by the piano.  No. 4 in F-major is lighter in character and features some witty pseudo counterpoint (if your "theme" consists entirely of the tones of the F-major triad you can play "canons" at any time lag you choose; Onslow brings it unison at the beginning and then various such "canons" at the key junctions of the sonata form).  Of no. 5 and 6 I believe there exists a recording; 5 is in E-major, bright and technically quite hard (for the violinist; I can't judge difficulty for piano parts), 6 in a minor, more serious with some semi baroque themes in the first movement, maybe not immediately ravishing but one of those pieces that grows on you as you get to know it better.

[Double-A]

Actually there are recordings of the 3 last sonatas available:
F-Major op. 15: Pavane #7545 (along with piano trio op. 14/2 and cello sonata op. 16/1) with the Trio Portici.
E-Major op. 29 and a-minor op. 31: Ligia #10317807 with Sandrine Cantoreggi, violin and Laurent Martin, piano.

BTW:  Onslow called the last three sonatas "duos" so to search for them you have to use that term.

[eschiss1]

At a guess, the French National Library probably has scores of Op.11 1-3... they have the Pleyel edition of the duos Opp. 29& 31,

hrm- does

this answer the question? Don't know, maybe not...

[pedrito]

thank you, seems I'll have to try them all :-)
always handy to have some input from someone who knows these works intimitely, it's sometimes hard to get a proper impression of a piece, even when sightreading it through....
greetings!
peter

[Double-A]

Let us know your decision when you make it.

[Delicious Manager]

Reicha has never been given his due. Some of his music is almost as daring as his friend Beethoven's (yes, the grumpy old Ludwig did keep a few friends in Vienna). Some of his symphonies show a melodic and harmonic audacity that even impressed Beethoven. It's a shame no-one has recorded the complete cycle yet.

I am familiar with as much of Onslow's music as is available and have loved all of it I've heard; his Grand Septet in B-flat is wonderful, for example.