Presents

Luigi Boccherini

Six Piano Trios

Op.12 Nos. 1-6, G.143-148

Although the Girard catalogue of Boccherini's works indicates that he composed two sets of piano trios with six in each set, it seems that only one has survived, which when published in 1781 went by the opus number 12. The title with which they were then published was Sonatas en trio for piano with violin and cello accompaniment. It was common to call trios for piano, violin and cello sonatas at that time. For example, Haydn's piano trios were also known as sonatas. In such works, the piano was primus inter pares, i.e. the first among equals, that is to say, the piano had the lion's share of the thematic material. This was the case, for the most part right up until 1830 with a few notable exceptions, such as Beethoven's later trios and those of Schubert. Nonetheless, it is interesting to not that Boccherini's keyboard trios give the strings more to do than one finds in Haydn's trios from the same era.

Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805) was born in the town of Lucca in northern Italy. He studied cello and became a virtuoso. But it was at a time that such players could not yet make a living from touring, so Boccherini found jobs in various orchestras in Vienna and Italy. Boccherini eventually moved to Paris where he hoped to establish himself as an independent soloist and composer but could not and was forced to take employment with the Spanish royal family for most of the rest of his life. 

These lovely trios are among the best from this period for piano trios and historically important because they owe nothing to the emerging Mannheim school which influenced Haydn and Mozart. They make an excellent choice where a shorter trio is required for a concert program. Out of print for the better part of a century we have made a new edition complete with rehearsal numbers, a piano score and removal of the false treble  for the cello. We think players will certainly welcome the chance to add these trios to their collection.

 Parts: $39.95