Luigi Boccherini summary

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Below is the article summary. For the full article, see Luigi Boccherini.

Luigi Boccherini, (born Feb. 19, 1743, Lucca—died May 28, 1805, Madrid, Spain), Italian composer. Son of a musician, he received excellent early training and toured widely in Europe as a cellist. He held positions at the courts of Madrid and Prussia. His vast chamber music output includes some 125 string quintets (more than any other composer), some 90 string quartets, and many string trios. He also wrote symphonies and cello concertos. The elegance and charm of his music has ensured its continuing popularity.

Square piano by Johann Christoph Zumpe, 1767; in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

piano Summary

Piano, a keyboard musical instrument having wire strings that sound when struck by felt-covered hammers operated from a keyboard. The standard modern piano contains 88 keys and has a compass of seven full octaves plus a few keys. The vibration of the strings is transmitted to a soundboard by means

sonata Summary

Sonata, type of musical composition, usually for a solo instrument or a small instrumental ensemble, that typically consists of two to four movements, or sections, each in a related key but with a unique musical character. Deriving from the past participle of the Italian verb sonare, “to sound,”

music Summary

Music, art concerned with combining vocal or instrumental sounds for beauty of form or emotional expression, usually according to cultural standards of rhythm, melody, and, in most Western music, harmony. Both the simple folk song and the complex electronic composition belong to the same activity,

chamber music Summary

Chamber music, music composed for small ensembles of instrumentalists. In its original sense, chamber music referred to music composed for the home, as opposed to that written for the theatre or church. Since the “home”—whether it be drawing room, reception hall, or palace chamber—may be assumed to