Boccherini: String Quintets Op.30 & Op.31, Vol. XI

The continuation of a highly successful and popular series on Brilliant Classics: the String Quintets by Boccherini (1743-1805)! The String Quintet series, of which 10 Volumes have already been issued, brought to light many hidden treasures, masterworks of chamber music in pure Classical Style, brimming with vitality, wit and winning charm.

Composer: Luigi Boccherini
Artists: I Virtuosi della Rotonda
Luigi Puxeddu cello

The most emblematic work among Boccherini’s descriptive music is his quintet with two cellos La musica notturna delle strade di Madrid, which ‘depicts’ a cross-section of the night in Madrid, from the sound of the Ave Maria on the city’s church bells to the soldiers’ patrol announcing the curfew. In the short time-frame of five movements / episodes, the different souls of the night of Madrid are recalled. This is amplified in his revision of the quintet, extending the final movement through the addition of 11 variations on the theme of the Curfew Patrol. Both versions of the Quintet are presented in this recording, along with the other five that make up Opus 30, designated by Boccherini as an “opera piccola” due to their two-movement structure. In them Boccherini explores various expressive characters, both within the individual movements and in their juxtaposition, exploiting peculiarities of his art such as the skilful use of modulations and harmonic contrasts, the subtle balancing of melody and texture and the emphasizing of rhythm in the characterization of musical ideas.

Tracklist:

Luigi Boccherini:
String Quintet No.1 in B-Flat Major, G.319, Op. 30:
00:00:00 I. Andante lentarello
00:05:20 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 2 in A Minor, G.320, Op. 30:
00:08:17 I. Allegro
00:13:00 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 3 in C Major, G.321, Op. 30:
00:17:08 I. Andantino lentarello
00:20:16 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 4 in E-Flat Major, G.322, Op. 30:
00:23:33 I. Allegro
00:28:26 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 5 in E Minor, G.323, Op. 30:
00:31:34 I. Allegretto
00:37:45 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 6 in C Major, G.324 “la musica notturna delle strade di Madrid”:
00:41:49 I. Imitando il tocco dell’Ave Maria della
00:56:44 II. Tutti pizzicato – Minuetto dei ciechia
String Quintet No. 1 in E-Flat Major, G.325, Op. 31:
01:09:18 I. Allegro moderato
01:16:35 II. Minuetto
01:19:54 III. Grave
01:26:36 IV. Allegro vivace ma non presto
String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, G.326, Op. 31:
01:28:55 I. Moderato
01:37:46 II. Andante lento
01:40:40 III. Minuetto, con moto
01:44:09 IV. Rondeau. Allegretto
String Quintet No. 3 in B-Flat Major, G.327, Op. 31:
01:48:27 I. Andante lento
01:52:40 II. Allegro assai
01:59:08 III. Minuetto
02:02:12 IV. Finale. Allegro vivo
String Quintet No. 4 in C Minor, G.328. Op. 31:
02:04:39 I. Preludio – Adagio
02:07:20 II. Allegro vivo
02:15:01 III. Adagio
02:16:34 IV. Allegro ma non presto conclusivo
String Quintet No. 5 in A Major, G.329, Op. 31:
02:21:57 I. Cantabile
02:26:53 II. Allegro maestoso
02:34:05 III. Minuetto
02:37:48 IV. Finale. Allegro
String Quintet No. 6 in F Major, G.330, Op. 31:
02:40:05 I. Allegretto con moto
02:44:52 II. Largo
02:50:31 III. Minuetto
02:54:00 IV. Finale. Allegro vivo

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Tracklist:
Luigi Boccherini:
String Quintet No.1 in B-Flat Major, G.319, Op. 30:
00:00:00 I. Andante lentarello
00:05:20 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 2 in A Minor, G.320, Op. 30:
00:08:17 I. Allegro
00:13:00 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 3 in C Major, G.321, Op. 30:
00:17:08 I. Andantino lentarello
00:20:16 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 4 in E-Flat Major, G.322, Op. 30:
00:23:33 I. Allegro
00:28:26 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 5 in E Minor, G.323, Op. 30:
00:31:34 I. Allegretto
00:37:45 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 6 in C Major, G.324 “la musica notturna delle strade di Madrid”:
00:41:49 I. Imitando il tocco dell’Ave Maria della
00:56:44 II. Tutti pizzicato – Minuetto dei ciechia
String Quintet No. 1 in E-Flat Major, G.325, Op. 31:
01:09:18 I. Allegro moderato
01:16:35 II. Minuetto
01:19:54 III. Grave
01:26:36 IV. Allegro vivace ma non presto
String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, G.326, Op. 31:
01:28:55 I. Moderato
01:37:46 II. Andante lento
01:40:40 III. Minuetto, con moto
01:44:09 IV. Rondeau. Allegretto
String Quintet No. 3 in B-Flat Major, G.327, Op. 31:
01:48:27 I. Andante lento
01:52:40 II. Allegro assai
01:59:08 III. Minuetto
02:02:12 IV. Finale. Allegro vivo
String Quintet No. 4 in C Minor, G.328. Op. 31:
02:04:39 I. Preludio – Adagio
02:07:20 II. Allegro vivo
02:15:01 III. Adagio
02:16:34 IV. Allegro ma non presto conclusivo
String Quintet No. 5 in A Major, G.329, Op. 31:
02:21:57 I. Cantabile
02:26:53 II. Allegro maestoso
02:34:05 III. Minuetto
02:37:48 IV. Finale. Allegro
String Quintet No. 6 in F Major, G.330, Op. 31:
02:40:05 I. Allegretto con moto
02:44:52 II. Largo
02:50:31 III. Minuetto
02:54:00 IV. Finale. Allegro vivo

[Adelbertdemaesschalck]

All string quartets and quintets are so beautiful in classical music and now we have Volume no 11 by Luigi Boccherini. Thanks to Brilliant Classics. Thanks again !

[MsLeenite]

It's always time for Boccherini. Thank you!

[Vida-Erudita]

Luigi Boccherini é um compositor magnífico. Obrigado por isso.

[josephpetrino]

Some really trippy musical ideas are presented here. Boccherini was really something.

[RosCharron]

Thank you BC for these precious gems. The cello really sends gorgeous shivers down the spine.

[hannawagenknecht]

Von individueller Schönheit finde ich😀🌸, ist diese Musik ❤

[katiabarcenas]

¡¡¡Gracias por compartir música sublime!!! ❤❤❤

[HawaiiMacAddict]

The tracklist is NOT correct. I had to use Shazam and Apple Classified to figure out the tracklist, but I didn't find G.324 II. 'Tutti pizzicato – Minuetto dei ciechia' anywhere. If anyone know where it starts and ends, please post it. This was painful. I just wish the music actually matched the original playlist presented. Here is the tracklist I created, in the order in which they are played:

String Quintet No. 4 in C minor, G.328, Op. 31:
01 00:00:00 I. Preludio. Adagio
String Quintet No. 1 in B-flat major, G.319, Op. 30:
02 00:02:43 I. Andante lentarello
String Quintet No. 3 in C Major, G.321, Op. 30:
03 00:08:02 I. Andante lentarello
String Quintet No. 5 in E minor, G.323, Op. 30:
04 00:11:11 I. Allegretto
String Quintet No. 4 in E-flat Major, G.322, Op. 30:
05 00:17:21 I. Allegro
String Quintet No. 5 in E minor, G.323, Op. 30:
06 00:22:14 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 3 in C Major, G.321, Op. 30:
07 00:26:15 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 1 in B-flat major, G.319, Op. 30:
08 00:29:34 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 2 in A minor, G.320, Op. 30:
09 00:32:30 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 2 in A minor, G.320, Op. 30:
10 00:36:41 I. Allegro
String Quintet No. 4 in E-flat Major, G.322, Op. 30:
11 00:41:22 II. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 6 in C Major, G.324 “la musica notturna delle strade di Madrid” Op. 30:
12 00:44:32 I. Imitando il tocco dell’Ave Maria della
String Quintet No. 4 in C minor, G.328, Op. 31:
13 00:59:27 II. Allegro Vivo
14 01:14:21 IV. Allegro ma non presto conclusivo
String Quintet No. 1 in E-flat Major, G.325, Op. 31:
15 01:19:44 III. Grave
String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, G.326, Op. 31:
16 01:26:26 I. Moderato
String Quintet No. 6 in F Major, G.330, Op. 31:
17 01:35:19 IV. Finale. Allegro vivo
String Quintet No. 3 in B-flat major, G.327, Op. 31:
18 01:38:10 I. Andante lento
String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, G.326, Op. 31:
19 01:42:25 IV. Rondeau. Allegretto
String Quintet No. 6 in F Major, G.330, Op. 31:
20 01:59:18 III. Minuetto
21 02:02:47 II. Largo
String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, G.326, Op. 31:
22 02:08:07 II. Andante Lento
String Quintet No. 3 in B-flat major, G.327, Op. 31:
23 02:11:19 IV. Finale. Allegro vivo
String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, G.326, Op. 31:
24 02:13:46 III. Minuetto, con moto
String Quintet No. 3 in B-flat major, G.327, Op. 31:
25 02:17:15 II. Allegro assai
String Quintet No. 1 in E-flat Major, G.325, Op. 31:
26 02:23:44 I. Allegro moderato
String Quintet No. 5 in A Major, G.329, Op. 31:
27 02:31:00 III. Minuetto
String Quintet No. 6 in F Major, G.330, Op. 31:
28 02:34:43 I. Allegretto con moto
String Quintet No. 4 in C minor, G.328, Op. 31:
29 02:39:30 III. Adagio
String Quintet No. 5 in A Major, G.329, Op. 31:
30 02:43:44 IV. Finale. Allegro
02:56:58

[anthonypuccetti]

The timestamps and tracklist are wrong.

[nathancook]

Someone please inform me - they have played the first half of Boccherini's "La Musica Notturna" correctly, but have replaced the original soldier's march with Boccherini's set of variations on the same (written many years later). I assume that the version I've always heard (with the original march) is, in fact, the original?

[christianfox]

There are errors in this video. The first piece in the video at timestamp 0:00 which you have labeled as G.319 Op. 30 No. 1 is not that piece. It is in fact G.328 Op. 31 No. 4.
I have not checked the rest, so there could very well be other errors as well. There is a disturbing lack of scholarship and attention to detail in the handling of Boccherini's works. It is not acceptable. Do better.

Also, the decision to play the Minuetto dei ciechi of La Musica Notturna della strade di Madrid so wildly out-of-tune was unexpected and very poor. It sounds like a group of first year strings students, struggling to play in tune. Surprising and awful to listen to; ruined an otherwise decent performance of a much-loved piece. There is never a good excuse for playing Boccherini out-of-tune. As a cello teacher acquainted with his quintets, I am aware of the markings on the original manuscripts. There is no room for interpreting them to indicate out-of-tune playing.

I have mixed feelings about this release. On the one hand, I am pleased to be able to hear first recordings of the Op. 30 and 31 quintets that deserve to be heard. On the other hand, the above mentioned issues with intonation on the part of the performers and cataloguing errors on the part of Brilliant Classics leave much to be desired.