Album: Boccherini Symphonies/London Mozart Players (Chandos)

Luigi Boccherini spent much of his career arriving in cities just as the spark of creativity had moved elsewhere.

In the London Mozart Players’ disc, only Symphony No 8 reflects the Gluckian severity he prized. Symphony No 3 and Symphony No 21 are so liberally festooned with concertante solos for oboes, bassoons, strings and even a piccolo that thematic development is limited or obscured. Much of the playing is stylish, though the acoustics are washy and the textures homogenous.