Presents
Luigi Boccherini
String Quintet in D Major, "Del Fandango" G.341, Op.40 No.2
For 2 Violins, Viola & 2 Cellos or 2 Violins, 2 Violas and Cello
Of the more than 120 string quintets that Boccherini wrote, the String Quintet in D Major, G.341 is one of the best known and one of the few that is still occasionally performed in concert. This is almost certainly due to the second movement simply marked Tempo del Fandango. The opus numbers to Boccherini’s works are entirely unreliable and have over the years caused tremendous confusion with different publishers giving the same work different opus numbers and in some cases different works received the same opus number. This Quintet is the second of a set of six from his Op.40 composed in 1788. Boccherini himself in his own catalog numbered it as Op.40 No.2 but another publisher called it Op.50 No.2. It was only with the definitive catalog of Boccherini's works by Girard that some order has finally been established. It is in three movements. The opening Grave, serves as an introduction to the second movemen simply marked Tempo del Fandango. The Fandango was a traditional dance of the Spanish gypies, and closely related to what became known as Flamenco dances. Boccherini indicates at one point in the movement in the Cello I part Castagnetto, which literally translates as chestnut wood, but here indicates the use of castantes, something gypies frequently employed and which are generally made from chestnut wood. They are not often employed by string quintets who rarely add a castanet player. However, you can here their use by listening to them in a rendition for guitar and strings by clicking on this link: soundbite example with castanets. The final movement is a Menuetto with contrasting trio.
Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805) was born into a musical and artistic family from Lucca, Italy and was a child prodigy. His talents as a cellist and composer enabled him to achieve a great reputation in his hometown, then in Rome, which in turn led to concert tours throughout Italy and France. In Paris, his concerts were quite popular and as a result, he was invited to Madrid by the Spanish ambassador in Paris, who had attended several of these concerts. Eventually, in 1769 he found a steady income being employed by the Infante Don Luis, brother of the Spanish King. He was given the title “Compositore e virtuoso di camera di S.A.R. Don Luigi infante d’Ispagnia.” With the death of Don Luis in 1785, he received commissions from Frederick II, the cello playing king of Prussia. Sources dispute whether Boccherini actually visited Prussia but it is known by 1797 after Frederick’s death, he was back in Madrid, where he was able to obtain occasional commissions. Sadly, this was barely enough to eake out a living and from then on until his death he was plagued by both money problems and ill health. .
This is a fine work suitable for both concert and home performance.
| (A) 2 Violins, Viola & 2 Cellos-Parts | $24.95 |
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| (B) 2 Violins, 2 Violas & Cello-Parts | $24.95 |
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| (C) All Six Parts | $29.95 |
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