A French publication from 1810-11 stated that if God wanted to speak to man through music, he would use Haydn's works, but if he wished to listen to music himself, he would choose Boccherini's.
Performer Biography
Steven Isserlis, the cellist on this album, plays the 'Marquis de Corberon' Stradivarius of 1726, which is on loan from the Royal Academy of Music.
Composer Biography
From 1786 to 1797, Boccherini served as Chamber Composer to King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, who encouraged composers to write for his chosen instrument, the cello.
Compositional Technique
The Russian cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, a great admirer of Boccherini, considered him, based on his music, to be the greatest cellist of all time.
Composer Biography
Boccherini received early support from Giacomo Puccini, director of music at Lucca's main church, who was the great-great-grandfather of the famous opera composer.
Composer Biography
Luigi Boccherini, born in 1743, came from an artistic family; his father Leopoldo was a double bassist, cellist, and singer, and three of his siblings were dancers.
Compositional Technique
Boccherini's cello concertos often feature an ultra-light orchestration for solo passages, with the cello accompanied only by violins, likely intended for one player per part.
