George Onslow

The French-English composer André Georges Louis Onslow, born in Clermont-Ferrand, was a student of Reicha and became a member of the Académie française in 1842. He was a prolific composer, who wrote four symphonies, originating between 1831 and 1846, 34 quintets, 36 string quartets, sonatas for various instruments and operas.
Funny enough, the slow movement of the first symphony (1831) sounds a bit like Beethoven's seventh, but the second (1834) with an energetic first movement and a charming slow movement and the catchy, rhythmically bouyant third (1837) are as a whole more succesful. The fourth symphony (1846) starts with a slow, dramatic introduction, and the rest of the work is somewhat reminiscent of Berlioz.
The septet for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, double bass and piano and the sextet (a transcription of the nonet for strings op. 77) for the same instruments, minus the oboe, date from Onslows last creative period. Two pleasing, liverly works. Onslow was one of the first French composers of his generation who wrote a substantial amount of chamber music. His quintets and quartets were well-known in his time, but currently the make a pale impression. Yet they are worthwhile to listen to, when enjoyed in small portions.
(Source: Musicalifeiten.nl)