Boccherini, Luigi (1743-1805)

[richardfinegold]

I’ve always liked what I have heard of his music, most of which seems overshadowed by the ubiquitous Fandango and Menuet, but it seems seriously underrepresented in both the Concert Hall and recordings. One of my favorite CDs is Jordi Savall’s disc which had a scintillating Fandango, but considerthe Composer was active in Spain I wish Savall would have explored him a little further. I had picked up a few discs of his Symphonies when vacationing in Venice 20 years ago, on an obscure Label with equally obscure and seemingly underrehearsed players, but I’ve long wondered what the advocacy of leading period performers may have done. I just heard a disc of Quartets in a Quartetto Italiano collection that is scintillating.
Any recommendations?

[Richard Barrett]

It's a bit difficult to find one's way around in Boccherini's chamber music because there's just so much of it, and it's all, well, Boccherini - sometimes it seems a bit superficial, while at other times nothing else will do, for me at any rate. (I don't find his orchestral music so interesting.) Anyway: the first CD that sprang to my mind was the String Trios op.52 performed by Le Real Camera on the Glossa label. The same label has a number of other excellent Boccherini discs; there are also some fine ones by Quartetto Esterházy, L'Europe Galante, Ensemble 415, La Magnifica Comunità (an enormous series on Brilliant Classics), and cellist Bruno Cocset, apart from the superb Savall disc.

[Padraig]

richard and Richard, I followed a recommendation by departed friend, gamba, for the String Quartets, op 32 which I often play from when 'nothing else will do'.

[Richard Barrett]

richard and Richard, I followed a recommendation by departed friend, gamba, for the String Quartets, op 32 which I often play from when 'nothing else will do'.

Gamba's recommendations were always worth following up, to be sure. I think the Esterházy Quartet's recording of those was my first Boccherini record.

[MickyD]

Don't overlook this fine recording of three symphonies from Hogwood.

[Boilk]

I’ve always liked what I have heard of his music, most of which seems overshadowed by the ubiquitous Fandango and Menuet, but it seems seriously underrepresented in both the Concert Hall and recordings...
...Any recommendations?

Couldn't agree more. Some of his symphonies truly stand out, and their melodic invention and spriteliness shoulder-to-shoulder with
mid-period Mozart symphonies such as No.29, K.201. My own favourite is Boccherini's E flat major symphony Op.35, No.2 (G 510)...

[jayne lee wilson]

This is wonderfully done with light almost-HIPPs-with-vibrato touch, and the Mendelssohn is excellent too....

https://www.pristineclassical.com/collections/composer-boccherini/products/pacm069

[Richard Barrett]

Gamba's recommendations were always worth following up, to be sure. I think the Esterházy Quartet's recording of those was my first Boccherini record.

Listening to that now on Qobuz - I'm sure I haven't heard this recording in this century. Quite beautiful; nothing complex about it in terms of harmony or expression or whatever but it's obviously the music of a sophisticated and inventive mind.

[Richard Barrett]

This is wonderfully done with light almost-HIPPs-with-vibrato touch, and the Mendelssohn is excellent too....

Walter Trampler on viola I see, dedicatee of Berio's Sequenza VI. That must be a pretty old recording, no?

[jayne lee wilson]

Walter Trampler on viola I see, dedicatee of Berio's Sequenza VI. That must be a pretty old recording, no?

1954-55 as the link reveals.... but it is very good mono, and one of my earliest download purchases ...

[richardfinegold]

Don't overlook this fine recording of three symphonies from Hogwood.

Huh I didn't see any Hogwood/Boccherini entries when I had checked Amazon, but then with Jeff Bezos out to rid the world of Classical CD sales, I can't be faulted...