Stabinger, Mathias: 6 Quartets

Two aspects of the quartets republished here for the first time are worth mentioning: they are the first compositions in the history of music which were actually composed for a flute quartet (despite the alternative orchestration suggested in the original title). Secondly, their compositional style clearly implies that they are directed at beginners, i.e. their intent is not only to entertain but also to instruct. Therefore, they ideally complement other works for several flutes which were composed by Dôthel and his cronies. The existence of such work proves that flute ensembles were already particularly popular in Florence at that time.