5 Facts About Luigi Boccherini

Are you familiar with the great composer Luigi Boccherini? Learn more about his life composing, with the cello, and his life in Spain!

1.        At age 13, Boccherini studied the cello in Rome with renowned cellist Giovanni Battista Costanzi, musical director at Saint Peter’s Basilica.

 

2.        When he arrived in Spain, the guitar was already popular as the country’s national instrument. Boccherini composed guitar quintets as he became influenced by Spanish music including the “Fandango.”

 

3.        Boccherini lived in Madrid for 10 years in service of the younger brother of King Charles III, Don Luis, but was sent away along with the rest of the court when Don Luis wedded a commoner. Moving to a castle in Sierra de Madrid, he drew upon his love for the city of Madrid and wrote “La Musica Notturna di Madrid.”

4.        Many have pointed out the similarities between Boccherini and Hayden’s chamber music with one big difference: The cello. Boccherini put a major emphasis on the cello and improved the model of the string quartet.

 

5.        Boccherini developed a new form of thumb positioning for the cello, allowing for a wider range of sound akin to a viola and a violin.

 

See it demonstrated in Now Hear This “Boccherini: Night Music” here: