A concert cellist, composer, scholarly collector and instrument maker, Auguste Tolbecque left his mark on the histories of performing early music, collecting, and of reconstituting historical musical instruments. Whilst several studies have been devoted to his life as instrument maker and collector, the least explored aspect of his life remains his work as composer. Up until this moment, no recordings have been made of his works. The release of this CD is not only a commemoration of the centenary of his death but is also a testimony to the many-sided career of one of the most singular characters of French musical life during the second half of the 19th century.