Boccherini dedicated his Op.17 and Op.19 Flute Quintets to Prince Luis Antonio de Borbón, a great lover of the arts and music who had his own ensemble.
Compositional Technique
The Op.19 Flute Quintet No.6, subtitled 'Las Parejas', reflects a ceremonial horse parade in Aranjuez with movement titles like 'Entrada-Marcia' and 'Galope'.
Compositional Technique
Boccherini's Op.55 Flute Quintets, dedicated to oboist Gaspar Barli, show his deep roots in Spain by including the traditional Spanish dance, the fandango, in three movements.
Historical Context
After Prince Luis's morganatic marriage, his brother Charles III forced him to renounce succession and decreed his family must stay far from court, leading to their relocation to Arenas de San Pedro.
Composer Biography
After Prince Luis's death, Boccherini received a lifelong pension from Charles III, allowing him to move to Madrid and continue his professional career.
Instruments
The string players who likely premiered Boccherini's Op.55 quintets probably used the four Stradivarius instruments acquired by King Charles IV, which are now in the Palacio Real in Madrid.
Composer Biography
Luigi Boccherini, the composer, moved to Spain in 1768, possibly due to lukewarm reviews in Paris, a recommendation from the Spanish ambassador, or for love.
