This recording of several of Boccherini`s string quartets illustrates just how versatile the Italian composer was and prompts listeners to consider the words of the French violinist and composer Jean Baptiste Cartier, who wrote in 1798 that if God would have wanted to communicate with mankind through music, He would have done so with the works of Haydn; however, if He would have wanted to listen to music Himself, He would choose the works of Boccherini. Boccherini is considered to have created the string trio, the string quintet and independent of Haydn the string quartet. The Apponyi Quartett is made up of leading members of the Freiburger Barockorchester. The ensemble performs on historical instruments and specialises in the string quartet literature of the early classical to early romantic periods