Bologne probably composed his violin concertos initially for his own use, although their later publication ensured their wider dissemination. Their reputation is further attested to by the existence of manuscript copies of the works most of which appear to postdate their publication. There are also several concertos of uncertain authenticity that are preserved in manuscript parts that possibly represent works composed later in Saint-Georges’ career but to date no detailed investigation of these works has been carried out. Saint-Georges remained active as a performer after the French Revolution, albeit in different circumstances to those under which he worked in the 1770s and 1780s, and it is possible that he continued to compose.
Saint-Georges generally published his concertos and symphonies concertantes in pairs, typically with one work scored for strings alone and the second with wind instruments.
The set includes further two compositions by Dutch violinist and composer Josephus Andreas Fodor, highly active as a violinist in Paris before 1792, when he began working at the imperial court in Saint Petersburg and where he remained for the rest of his life; and one concerto by Viotti, Italian violinist and composer who "was the most influential violinist between Tartini and Paganini and the last great representative of the Italian tradition stemming from Corelli. He is considered the founder of the 'modern' (19th century) French school of violin playing, and his compositions, among the finest examples of Classical violin music, exerted a strong influence on 19th-century violin style." (Grove Online)
Bologne probably composed his violin concertos initially for his own use, although their later publication ensured their wider dissemination. Their reputation is further attested to by the existence of manuscript copies of the works most of which appear to postdate their publication. There are also several concertos of uncertain authenticity that are preserved in manuscript parts that possibly represent works composed later in Saint-Georges’ career but to date no detailed investigation of these works has been carried out. Saint-Georges remained active as a performer after the French Revolution, albeit in different circumstances to those under which he worked in the 1770s and 1780s, and it is possible that he continued to compose.
Saint-Georges generally published his concertos and symphonies concertantes in pairs, typically with one work scored for strings alone and the second with wind instruments.
The set includes further two compositions by Dutch violinist and composer Josephus Andreas Fodor, highly active as a violinist in Paris before 1792, when he began working at the imperial court in Saint Petersburg and where he remained for the rest of his life; and one concerto by Viotti, Italian violinist and composer who "was the most influential violinist between Tartini and Paganini and the last great representative of the Italian tradition stemming from Corelli. He is considered the founder of the 'modern' (19th century) French school of violin playing, and his compositions, among the finest examples of Classical violin music, exerted a strong influence on 19th-century violin style." (Grove Online)