Hugues and Kohler were flutists and concert artists, as well as composers, in 19th-century Italy - certainly not minor figures, but still virtually unknown. Together with other flutists of the time, they are considered to be the true initiators of a budding professionalism in the area of performance pedagogy. They played music which they themselves composed, but were also the dedicatees of many world premieres.

Luigi Hugues, a mild-mannered man with a variegated and thorough culture, distinguished himself in his works for flute and piano by his clear and sweet style. The long phrases are quite demanding for the flutist and highlight a lyricism “contaminated” by the operatic repertoire, though the composer refrains from utilizing classic paraphrases of popular operas. The refined interpretation of the duo underscores clear contrasts in which Italian passion is invariably present without ever boring the listener.

Ernesto Kohler, on the other hand, was a Mason (like a majority of artists) who separated cultivated flute-playing from dilettante band music. His writing, with its greater technical demands, contrasts with the melodic linearity of Hugues. Even the minor key of the concerto is permeated by a strong character and evident élan. The cadenza of the Adagio, in particular, from the collection of Studi di Virtuosità Op.75, contains chromatic and virtuosic progressions which herald the next century.