Adalbert Gyrowetz Flute Quartets op. 11, Nos. 1-3

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Adalbert Gyrowetz was self-taught as a violinist, pianist and organist. He received a comprehensive humanistic education and spoke the current languages of his time. Following his studies in Prague, his life seems to have been an endless wandering through all the European musical centres of the period. These stations included Brno, Vienna, Rome, Marseille, Lyon, Paris and London. He performed together with Haydn at the Salomon Concerts in the last-mentioned city. In spite of his great success in London, he returned to the continent. Via Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Dresden and Prague he ended up in Vienna again, where he finally settled. In 1804 Gyrowetz took over the post of composer and court Kapellmeister at the Royal Imperial Court Theatre in Vienna, remaining there until 1831.

Alongside numerous sacred works, 40 symphonies and concertos by Gyrowetz have been preserved, as well as a large chamber music repertoire for the most diverse ensemble combinations. His compositional style is oriented on his great model Joseph Haydn. The melodic line is often folkloristic, strongly influenced by Czech folk music. His Flute Quartets, reissued here, are three-movement works. They all begin with an Allegro followed by a slow movement and a light, melodic Rondo. They are written in a straightforward and very elegant style, making effective use of the flute's popularity with amateurs and professional musicians of their time.