Luigi Boccherini "Minuet": history, interesting facts, content, video, listen

Luigi Boccherini "Minuet" from the E-dur quintet (op. 11 No. 5)

Luigi Boccherini - the name of this talented Italian composer, a bright representative of the era of Viennese classicism and rococo is widely known to all lovers of classical music. The outstanding maestro, is the author of a large number of beautiful creations, which, at the present time, conquering listeners, very often sound from the scenes of concert halls. However, Boccherini has one essay, which has become so popular that you can safely add to its title the epithet “eternal”. This famous minuet, originally part of the E-dur string quintet, today exists as an independent piece, the music of which can be heard in various arrangements and performing revisions in the sound of all kinds of musical instruments, as well as all kinds of ensembles.

The history of the "Minuet" Boccherini, the content of the work and many interesting facts read on our page.

Story

Despite the fact that the famous work appeared in Spain in 1771, its prehistory undoubtedly began in Italy on February 19, 1743, where in the ancient Tuscan city of Lucca a boy was born into the family of a musician who played the double bass in the city orchestra, Leopold Boccherini, who was given the name Luigi. Early extraordinary talent of the child manifested itself and contributed to his successful musical education. He sang beautifully and like his father really wanted to master double bass, but due to the large size of this instrument, it became diligently engaged in cello.

When Luigi was twelve years old, he began performing in public, and the city music lovers immediately appreciated the talent of the little musician. Soon, fourteen-year-old Boccherini is sent to Rome to improve her performing skills. Returning four years later to his hometown, Luigi began to actively engage in composing activities, and besides joining with talented musicians, he organized a string quartet. This type of music making at the time was just beginning to develop.

In 1767, after the death of his beloved father, Luigi leaves Lucca and, together with his close friend Philippe Manfredi, goes to Paris. However, despite the fact that in the French capital, Boccherini was already known as a talented composer, he was met there in an unfriendly manner and a year later Luigi had to move to Spain. However, Madrid also did not provide the musician with a decent reception, and only with the friendly support of Manfredi, he got a place in the chapel of Don Louis - brother of the Spanish king Charles III. Being under the auspices of the Infante, who was fond of chamber music and himself played the cello well, Boccherini composed a lot. It was then that, in 1771, the string quintet E-dur came out from under his pen among a large number of different works, one of the parts of which is the famous "Minuet".

Interesting Facts

• For the first time the quintet of E-dur Luigi Boccherini was printed four years after its creation, in 1775 in Paris.
• The E-dur string quintet can in fact be called "cello", since the composer introduced not one, as is customary, but two cellos into its composition.
• Luigi Rodolfo Boccherini was a very fruitful composer who left behind a rich creative heritage, including about five hundred different works, including symphonies, cello concerts, string trios, quartets, quintets, as well as spiritual cantatas, oratorios and masses.
• Mi major quintet Boccherini dedicated to his patron Luis Antonio Jaime Spanish, thirteenth Earl of Chinchon, brother of the Spanish king Charles III.
• The works of Boccherini, written by him for the cello, were so popular that they were performed not only on the instrument for which they were written, but also on his old rival - viola da gamba.
• Boccherini enjoyed special recognition at the beginning of the 19th century. Poets sang the name of the composer in verse, dedicated poems to him and called his music divine.
• Minuet's arrangements are extremely numerous. The first of these was made almost immediately after the publication of the work. Today, the arrangement of the composition can be found not only for a variety of instruments from body before flutes, but also for vocal ensembles, choir, as well as a full symphony orchestra.

Content

As mentioned above, one of the most famous works of Luigi Boccherini "Minuet"is not an independent work. It is presented by the composer as the third part of his E major violin quintet. Since this, having French origin, the three-dance dance implies graceful movements, then the music of Boccherini composition is light and elegant.

Minuetas was customary in the Baroque era, it is enclosed in a three-part form. The main tonality of the composition is A major.

The first part of the work, consisting of two repetitively repetitive sections, begins with an introductory section. Her music with an elegant melodic pattern with whorls, consisting of short motifs decorated with subtle ornaments, reflects the bows and smooth squats characteristic of the minuet. The composer commissioned the performance of the main theme first. the violin. The remaining instruments play the accompaniment role. The second violin is supported by the melody with a pulsating sound, and the viola and the cello play their parts on pizzicato.

In the middle section, the trio, which also includes two parts, changes not only the character of the music, but also the tonality: A major modulates into D major. The thematic material of the trio, initially presented by gamma-like movements up and down, and then, receiving dynamic development, is actively performed by all instruments participating in the work.

The third final part repeats the musical material of the first section, but without reprisal repetitions.

"Minuet" by Luigi Boccherini - This is a magical creation of a great master. When you listen to the music of this charming work, a miracle happens: you just want to forget about the modern turmoil that surrounds us and mentally move back into times gone by - the era of beautiful ladies and gallant gentlemen. The grace of this dance captivates the hearts and therefore it can be truly called the dance of kings.