
Exploration of instrumental colours, layered textural writing, meandering harmonies, and unusual voicing give Boccherini’s music its distinct and unmistakable character, and set it apart from his contemporaries. While living and working in Spain, Boccherini developed a unique compositional style which was independent both from his fellow Italians, who were richly rooted in the world of opera, and from prolific composers of chamber music such as Haydn and Mozart, both active many miles north-east of Boccherini’s Mediterranean base.Church bells ring, violins imitate the drums and tambourin announcing the arrival of a military band, and the listener is swept through Spanish street songs and dances, until curfew is finally called. His ‘ Fandango’ from Quintet, G.341/G448 builds layer upon layer of texture and rhythm to an exciting conclusion, helped by extra castanets and technical fireworks in the cello part, while La Musica Notturna delle Strade di Madrid, sets about depicting the sights and sounds of Madrid after dark.

#LUIGI BOCCHERINI MINUET PLUS#

Student cellists will likely remember the pains of executing the tricky passages of a certain Rondo from ABRSM Grade 8, and more listeners may have tapped their foot along with Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, unaware that they were in fact listening to Signor Boccherini. Others possibly recall the famous Cello Concerto in B flat, which survived so many years in a freely altered and edited version by Grützmacher. When one hears the name Luigi Boccherini, what comes to mind? For most it will surely be his celebrated Minuet, and its myriad incarnations over the last two centuries.
