I first encountered Bottesini on the flipside of an LP mainly devoted to Paganini (his Fourth,from memory). I imagine that the CDs you are referring to are from Naxos and cpo. I have always found him eminently listenable,and melodies from the Grand Duo readily spring to mind. Apart from the likes of the frontline composers such as Verdi and Paganini,Italian orchestral music,and particularly,concertante works,have not been tremendously in vogue. When you occasionally encounter Bazzini,for example,and his dashing,Fourth Violin Concerto,I am surprised that more interest has not been shown.