Alessandro Rolla was a viola and violin virtuoso and, in the later part of his career, a highly respected teacher of both instruments. He was also a composer, predominantly of chamber music; while the majority of his output consists of duets, trios and quartets for strings, several of his works do feature woodwind instruments.

The present quartets reveal not only his first-hand understanding of string technique and his proficiency in writing effectively for strings, but also a clear familiarity with the flute of his day. They feature a number of attractive solos for all four instruments without recourse to gratuitous displays of virtuosity for its own sake.