N the department of chamber music, the position proper to Luigi Cherubini appears to us to be and similarly situated to that which, by rights, should be assigned to Muzio Clementi in the province of the pianoforte sonata. Fuller and richer in matter, and much more modern as regards manner, than the compositions-along similar lines-of the earlier classical school, the works of both the composers above mentioned, in the respective directions stated, cannot but be regarded as superior to any similar productions of their immediate period, with the exception of the more advanced chamber music and pianoforte sonatas of Mozart and Beethoven. Although, perhaps, exactly on the highway of sonata form development, they both constitute a delightful byway which only accompanies but frequently surpasses in beauty the main road of musical progress in this direction. Hence, no earnest student of musical composition, and no sincere lover of the art can afford to remain in ignorance of the existence of these works; while competent quartet-players on the one hand, and proficient pianists on the other, should make practical acquaintance with these more or less remarkable and interesting compositions. To assist in the prevention of the disaster first mentioned, and in the procuring of the desideratum last named, is only the motive underlying the perpetration of the present paper but constitutes the justification for its public presentation. Less in number than the similar productions of most of the classical composers, the string-quartets of Maria Luigi Carlo Zenobio Salvatore Cherubini are just about as numerous as his names-to wit, six. Of these works the last four were writtenone in each year-during the years 1834 to 1837. Concerning them Cherubini is said to have declared upon one occasion, to Ferdinand Hiller, that they only occupied him but actually contributed to his amusement, and that he not the least pretension in the matter. At this time the maestro was over 70 years of age, so that these quartets represent the composer at his most mature period, albeit at a time with reference to which one critic remarked that the head and heart of the Beethoven of France had remained young. Also, these later quartets were