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Luigi BOCCHERINI (1713-1805)
String Quintets Op. 29, for 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos
No. 1 in D Major G313 [23:39]
No. 2 in C minor G314 [18:17]
No. 3 in F Major G315 [20:55]
No. 4 in A Major G316 [21:17]
No. 5 in E flat Major G317 [21:28]
No. 6 in G minor G318 [19:15]
I Virtuosi della Rotonda (Federico Guglielmo, Alessia Pazzaglia (violin); Davide Zaltron (viola), Riccardo Giovine (cello), Luigi Puxeddu (cello))
rec. Abbey of St Mary of Carceri, Padua, Italy, 2013
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94961 [63:10 + 62:22]

It is now ten years since the first release in this enterprising and most valuable series of the string quintets entered the catalogues, with the present double being volume 10, of which I have nine; volume 5 always proving elusive. The Brilliant Classics website describes it as the latest release in “The String Quintet series”, but has never clearly stated if this is to be a complete cycle; let’s hope so. They would have a long way to go though, as even if you only take into account those with opus numbers there are still some fourteen sets to record. It has been four years between volumes 9 and 10, and I was beginning to think that the series had ended prematurely, but this delay can perhaps be explained by the change of ensemble. The first nine recordings were performed by the excellent period instrument ensemble, La Magnifica Comunità, of which the cellist Luigi Puxeddu, was a member. The present ensemble, I Virtuosi della Rotonda, was founded by Luigi Puxeddu in 2002, which means he was a member of both ensembles at the same time, which adds a degree of continuity between the groups. There is no information on the instruments used by the present ensemble but they sound to be playing on more modern examples.

Boccherini spent most of his professional career in Spain where he sought to integrate the music of his adoptive country with that of northern Europe and Italy. This led to the claim that he was a mere imitator of Haydn, leading one nineteenth century to describe him disparagingly as “Haydn’s wife”. However there is more to Boccherini’s music than some commentators would have us believe. There is a lot of individuality in his compositional style — a style which should be celebrated and enjoyed.

The String Quintets Op. 29, like most of his quintets, utilise a second cello which was the composer’s own instrument. Op. 29 was composed in 1779 when Boccherini was in the service of the Infante Luis Antonio Jaime of Bourbon, the younger brother of King Carlos III of Spain. They show a composer at the height of his artistic powers. These works are an elegant combination of the galant style of the north and the music of Spain. Just listen to the C minor Quintet No. 2, and one can clearly hear the Spanish influence in the first movement Allegro vivo. Yet the following Largo assai, clearly shows the influence of the likes of Haydn without being a pastiche. This is highly attractive music which should be better known. There is a lot more to his music than the famous ‘Minuet’, which can be found on volume 2 (92889) of this fine series, or his ‘La Musica Notturna Delle Strade di Madrid’ which was used to good effect in the film Master and Commander starring Russell Crowe.

There is much here to enjoy, both in the music and the performances, which are first rate. The music-making is captured in a sympathetic and pleasing acoustic. The notes by Marco Mangani suffer from the usual Brilliant brevity but are quite informative. I look forward to future releases in this series from this excellent ensemble, but let’s hope it doesn’t take another five years before the next volume is released.

Stuart Sillitoe

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