Luigi Boccherini

Classical · 1743–1805

Luigi Boccherini, born in Lucca, Italy, in 1743, was a traveling cello virtuoso before he was anything else, touring in his youth with his double-bass-playing father. In his twenties he settled in Spain, where he spent most of the rest of his life serving royal and aristocratic patrons and writing chamber music at an enormous rate: hundreds of quintets, quartets, and trios, plus concertos for his own instrument.

Living far from the musical capitals let fashion pass him by, and he died in Madrid in 1805 in modest circumstances. But the music is graceful and often surprising, colored by the Spanish sounds around him, including guitars and the stamping rhythms of the fandango, a Spanish dance.

The String Quintet in E major, op. 11 no. 5, contains the famous minuet you have almost certainly heard somewhere. Then try the guitar quintet nicknamed Fandango, where the Spanish influence takes over completely.

153 works in the catalog, across 4 genres. Log what you listen to with Opus, the classical music journal for iPhone.

Chamber

Piano Quintet in D minor, G. 416, op. 57, no. 4
Quintet for Guitar and Strings in C major, G.453, "La Ritirada di Madrid"
Quintet for Guitar and Strings in D major, G.448, "Fandango"
String Quintet in C major, G.324, "La musica notturna delle strade di Madrid"
String Quintet in E major, op. 11, no. 5
6 Cello Sonatas, for cello and continuo
6 Quartets, op. 58
6 Quartets for Harpsichord, Violin, Viola and Cello, G.259
6 Quintets, for flute and strings, G.419-24, op. 17
6 Tercetti for String Trio, op. 14
6 Tercettini, for 2 violins and cello, op. 54
6 Tercettini for String Trio, op. 47
Cello Sonata in A, "L'Imperatrice"
Cello Sonata in B flat major, G.565
Cello Sonata in C major, G.17
Cello Sonata in C minor
Cello Sonata in C minor, G.2
Cello Sonata in E flat major, G.11
Cello Sonata in E flat major, G.566
Cello Sonata in E flat major, G. deest
Cello Sonata in F major, G.579
Duet for 2 Violins in A major, G.58
Duet for 2 Violins in B flat major, G.59
Duet for 2 Violins in D major, G.61
Duet for 2 Violins in E flat major, G.60
Duet for 2 violins in F major, G.57
Duet in G for 2 Violins, G.56, op. 3, no. 1
Flute Sonata no. 2 in C major, op. 5, G.26
Octet for Woodwinds and Strings in G major, G.470, op. 38, no. 4
Piano Quintet in B flat major, G.414, op. 57, no. 2
Piano Quintet in C major, G.418, op. 57, no. 6
Piano Quintet in D major, G.411,Op.56, no. 5
Piano Quintet in E major, G.417, op. 57, no. 5
Piano Quintet in E minor, G.407, op. 56, no. 1
Piano Quintet in F major, G.408, op. 56, no. 2
Quintet for flute and strings in G major, op. 55
Quintet for Guitar and Strings E-, G.451
Quintet for Guitar and Strings in G major, G.450
Sextet for Flute and Strings C major, G.466, op. 16, no. 6
Sextet for Flute and Strings in A major, G.461, op. 16, no. 1
Sextet for Flute and Strings in A major, G.462, op. 16, no. 2
Sextet for Flute and Strings in A major, G.463, op. 16, no. 3
Sextet for Flute and Strings in A major, G.465, op. 16, no. 5
Sextet for Flute and Strings in E flat major, G.464, op. 16, no. 4
Sonata for 2 cellos in C major, G.74
Sonata for cello and continuo in A major, G.4
Sonata for cello and continuo in C major, G.6
Sonata for Violin and Cello in D
Sonatas
String Quartet in A major, G.170, op. 8, no. 6
String Quartet in A major, G.198, op. 26, no. 4
String Quartet in A major, G.206, op. 32, no. 6
String Quartet in A major, G.213, op. 39
String Quartet in B flat major, G.160, op. 2, no. 2
String Quartet in B flat major, G.210, op. 33, no. 4
String Quartet in C major, G.164, op. 2, no. 6
String Quartet in C major, G.204, op. 32, no. 4
String Quartet in C major, G.208, op. 33, no. 2
String Quartet in C major, G.215, op. 41, no. 2
String Quartet in C major, G.232, op. 52, no. 1
String Quartet in C minor, G.159, op. 2, no. 1
String Quartet in C minor, G.166, op. 8, no. 2
String Quartet in C minor, G.214, op. 41, no. 1
String Quartet in D major, G.161, op. 2, no. 3
String Quartet in D major, G.165, op. 8, no. 1
String Quartet in D major, G.177, op. 15, no. 1
String Quartet in D major, G.203, op. 32, no. 3
String Quartet in D major, G.233, op. 52, no. 2
String Quartet in D major, G. 249, op. 64, no. 2
String Quartet in E flat major, G.167, op. 8, no. 3
String Quartet in E flat major, G.201, op. 32, no. 1
String Quartet in E flat major, G.212, op. 33, no. 6
String Quartet in E major, G.163, op. 2, no. 5
String Quartet in E major, G.207, op. 33, no. 1
String Quartet in E minor, G. 202, op. 32, no. 2
String Quartet in E minor, G.211, op. 33, no. 5
String Quartet in F major, G.169, op. 8, no. 5
String Quartet in F major, G.248, op. 64, no. 1
String Quartet in F minor, G.235, op. 52, no. 4
String Quartet in G major, G.209, op. 33, no. 3
String Quartet in G major, G.223, op. 44, no. 4, "La tiranna"
String Quartet in G major, G.234, op. 52, no. 3
String Quartet in G minor, G.168, op. 8, no. 4
String Quartet in G minor, G.194, op. 24, no. 6
String Quartet in G minor, G.205, op. 32, no. 5
String Quartet n Eb, G.162, op. 2, no. 4
String Quintet, "Fandango"
String Quintet, G.268, op. 10. no. 4
String Quintet, G.282, op. 13, no. 6
String Quintet for 2 violins, 2 violas and cello in A major, G.393, op. 60, no. 3
String Quintet for 2 violins, 2 violas and cello in D major, G.401, op. 62, no. 5
String Quintet for 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos in C minor, G.328
String Quintet for 2 Violins, Viola and 2 Cellos in D major, G.365
String Quintet for 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos in D minor, G.280, op. 13, no. 4
String Quintet for 2 Violins, Viola and 2 Cellos in E
String Quintet for 2 Violins, Viola and 2 Cellos in F major, G.279
String Quintet for 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos in G major, G.326, op. 31, no. 2
String Quintet in C major, G.349, op. 42, no. 2
String Quintet in C major, op. 37, no. 7
String Quintet in F major, G.336, op. 36, no. 6, "Dello scacciapensiero"
String Quintet in G major, G.281, op. 13, no. 5
String Sextet in E flat major, G.454, op. 23, no. 1
String Sextet in E major, G.456, op. 23, no. 3
String Sextet in F major, G.459, op. 23, no. 6
String Sextet in F minor, G.457, op. 23, no. 4

Orchestral

Cello Concerto in B flat major, G.482
Cello Concerto in C major, G.481
Cello Concerto in D major, G.479
Symphony in A major, G. 511, op. 35, no. 3
Symphony in F major, G.512, op. 35, no. 4
Cello Concerto in A major, G.475
Cello Concerto in C major, G.477
Cello Concerto in C major, G.573
Cello Concerto in D major, G.476
Cello Concerto in D major, G.483, op. 34
Cello Concerto in E flat major
Cello Concerto in E flat major, G.474
Cello Concerto in G major, G.480
Flute Concerto in D major, G.575
Symphony in A major, G.498, op. 21, no. 6
Symphony in A major, G.508, op. 12, no. 6
Symphony in A major, G.518, op. 37, no. 4
Symphony in B flat major, G.493, op. 21, no. 1
Symphony in B flat major, G.497, op. 21, no. 5
Symphony in B flat major, G.507, op. 12, no. 5
Symphony in B flat major, G.514, op. 35, no. 6
Symphony in C major, G. 491, op. 7
Symphony in C major, G.495, op. 21, no. 3
Symphony in C major, G.505, op. 12, no. 3
Symphony in C major, G.515, op. 37, no. 1
Symphony in C minor, G.519, op. 41
Symphony in D major, G.490
Symphony in D major, G.496, op. 21, no. 4
Symphony in D major, G.503, op. 12, no. 1
Symphony in D major, G.509, op. 35, no. 1
Symphony in D major, G.520, op. 42
Symphony in D major, G.521, op. 43
Symphony in D minor, G.506, op. 12, no. 4, "La casa del diavolo"
Symphony in D minor, G.517, op. 37, no. 3
Symphony in D minor, G.522, op. 45
Symphony in E flat major, G.494, op. 21, no. 2
Symphony in E flat major, G.504, op. 12, no. 2
Symphony in E flat major, G.510, op. 35, no. 2
Symphony in E flat major, G.513, op. 35, no. 5

Stage

La Clementina G. 540

Vocal

Caro, son tua cosi, G.547
Deh, respirar lasciartemi, G.546
Di giudice severo, Per quel paterno, G.554
Mi dona, mi rende, G.556
Numi, se giusti siete, G.551
Se non ti moro, G.545
Stabat mater, for soprano and chamber ensemble, G.532
Tornate sereni, G.558

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