QUARTETTO N. 3 in re maggiore [1814]

The quartet in D major is the last in a triad of works completed in 1814. It distinguishes itself from the others on account of its diverse displays of agility, perhaps more varied and less stereotyped in terms of the figurations and more regular in rhythm, while still making reference to the quatuor brillant, a style much loved by Mercadante in this period. As always there are three movements – Allegro moderato, Largo, Polonese – that offer a dazzling range of articulations and phrasings aimed at showcasing the flute, of which Mercadante appears to have been a virtuoso. Besides enriching the catalogue of Mercadante’s quartets, this work, never previously published, also broadens our knowledge of the Italian chamber repertoire in the first two decades of the 19th century.