How much do you appreciate Boccherini's music?

Thank you for providing your suggestions.

Yes, some people of Boccherini's close circle died brought his very difficult time. His supporter and first wife died brought him serve challenge financially and emotionally. But yet some of his great compositions were finished in that period.

I just listen to two different versions of "The Night Music of the Streets of Madrid" last night. One in piano quintet (G418) and the other one in string quintet (G324). It was so intersting to play this two versions one after the other. The string quintet is more close to Boccherini's original intent but the arrangement of piano quintet make the "night march" so vivid and dramatic.

Unfortunately I don't have the one in guitar quintete (G453) to compare.

Happy Listening!

Otto

Considering that there were so many people in Boccherini's life that died, it's remarkable that he was able to keep on writing great pieces. I would make the radical assumption that there were various times in history where he was celebrated more than what he is today but that's common with a number of composers. My recommendation in this case is a mono vinyl pressing of;

Archive Production
VIII. Research Period
'The Italian Settecento"
Luigi Boccherini
Series A: The Concerto
Concerto per il Violoncello obligato op.34 D major
Series D: The Solo and Trio Sonata
Quintetto op.50 No.3 E minor
Long Playing Record 33

Enjoy!

Hi Lloydelee21,

Thank you for your suggestions. I will look into those recordings.

For guitar quintet, I do enjoy Melos Quartet's recording but also The Artaria Quartet with Richard Savino is wonderful too. Castanet performance in No.4 (G. 448) just so amazing. It makes the music like passionate Flamenco music. Not too many pieces of Boccherini's music show Spanish influences that obviously.

The other day when I typed in Boccherini to research some information in this forum only 4 related thread showed up. All of them are just remotely related to his music. That triggered me the interest to start this thread.

Hope we will have more participants to join.

Otto

Boccherini is great stuff...i am not going to play music historian or critic...i just really like it and have increasingly bought more CDs of his. If you loook these up as key words with Amazon, these are the ones i bought...a number well regarded by Penguin Guide.

string quartetes:apponyi quartet
guitar quintets: melos quartet
string quartets: esterhazy quartetto
sring quintets: europa galanta
quintet5: Harmonia mundi
quintets 2: vanbrugh quartet
quintets flute and strings: auser musici
Jordi savalls Bocchereni music
Stabat Mater: Robert King
3 Symphonies: Gasdia/Scimone