Luigi Boccherini was born in Lucca, Italy, on February 19, 1743. After
studying music with various private teachers in Rome, he gained
recognition as a cellist both as a member of theater orchestras in Lucca
and later on tour throughout Europe in joint concerts with Filippo
Manfredi, violinist. He served as court composer in Madrid from 1785 to
1787, and from 1787 until 1797 for Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia. His
last years were spent in Madrid in poverty and poor health, and he died
in that city on May 28, 1805.
Boccherini, a contemporary of Haydn, was a prolific composer of
symphonies, concertos, and a considerable amount of chamber music which
were all-important in helping to develop and crystallize a classical
style of instrumental writing and in establishing the classic forms of
instrumental music.
Despite the abundance of his creation in virtually every branch of
instrumental music, and despite the significance of his finest works,
Boccherini is remembered today by many music lovers mainly for a
comparatively minor piece of music: the sedate _Minuet_ which originated
as the third movement of the String Quintet in E major, op. 13, no. 5.
Transcribed for orchestra, and for various solo instruments and piano,
(even for solo harpsichord) this light and airy Minuet has become one of
the most celebrated musical examples of this classic dance form.
Several of Boccherini’s little known melodies from various quintets and
from his Sinfonia No. 2 in B-flat were used by the contemporary French
composer, Jean Françaix, for a ballet score, from which comes an
enchanting little orchestral suite. The ballet was _The School of
Dancing_ (_Scuola di Ballo_), with book and choreography by Leonide
Massine; it was introduced by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in Monte
Carlo in 1933. The book was set in the dancing school of Professor
Rigadon. The professor tries to palm off one of his backward pupils on
an impresario, while withholding his star; in the end all pupils leave
him in disgust. The suite is in four parts. The first consists of
“_Leçon_” and “_Menuet_”; the second, “_Larghetto_,” “_Rondo_,” and
“_Dispute_”; the third, “_Presto_,” “_Pastorale_,” and “_Danse
allemande_”; the last, “_Scène du notaire_” and “_Finale_.” An
unidentified program annotator goes on to explain: “An occasional stern
note in the ‘_Leçon_’ and strong chords in the ‘_Menuet_’ suggest the
teacher. The violin and bassoon play a duet which very clearly pictures
the inept pupil. Further atmosphere is furnished by a guitar-like
accompaniment heard on the harp from time to time. One is soon
acquainted with the characters who reappear in the various sections. The
‘_Larghetto_’ closely resembles a movement in one of Haydn’s symphonies,
which suggests a tempting line of speculation. The orchestration of the
‘_Rondo_’ and the syncopation of the ‘_Danse allemande_’ are
noteworthy.”