LUIGI BOCCHERINI (1743-1805)
The Six Symphonies à Quatro op.35

CD I

Sinfonìa IV à Quatro (F major, op. 35/4, G 512)
01 Allegro assai
02 Andantino
03 Allegro vivace. Tempo di Minuetto. Allegro vivace

Sinfonìa VI à Quatro (B flat major, op. 35/6, G 514)
04 Allegro vivace
05 Andante lento
06 Presto. Minuetto. Presto

Sinfonìa II à Quatro (E flat major, op. 35/2, G 510)
07 Allegro vivo
08 Andante
09 Allegro giusto

CD II

Sinfonìa III à Quatro (A major, op. 35/3, G 511)
01 Allegro giusto
02 Andante
03 Allegro ma non presto

Sinfonìa I à Quatro (D major, op. 35/1, G 509)
04 Allegro assai
05 Andante
06 Prestissimo

Sinfonìa V à Quatro (E flat major, op. 35/5, G 513)
07 Allegro con moto
08 Andante soave assai
09 Tempo di Minuetto

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About this album

Emilio Moreno’s passion, knowledge and thirst for the music of Luigi Boccherini yields a further revelation with the Six Symphonies, op.35, premiered in 1782, newly edited by violist Moreno and performed here by the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century.

In 1769, Boccherini extended his travels in search of work, fame and fortune across Europe to include Spain, country in which he would stay for the rest of his life. In 1776, Boccherini’s patron, Don Luis de Borbón, found himself outmanoeuvred by the king Carlos III in the royal succession stakes. He was exiled far enough from Madrid so as not to be a nuisance. He decided to set up home in Arenas de San Pedro, in the province of Ávila. Fortunately for Boccherini (and posterity), Don Luis was a committed and rich patron of the arts (the young Goya was a beneficiary) and devoted to his music...

In Madrid Don Luis had been enthusiastic about the developing symphony genre and Boccherini sought to palliate the prince’s exile some seven years into it with these six sprightly three-movement Sinfonìas à Quatro, imbued with the light of Spain. That the palace “house band” was typically a string quintet didn’t prevent Boccherini from imaging these symphonies as involving up to four string players per part for future performances, and it is such a conception which is being followed by the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century (continuing to maintain the love of music-making and the touring spirit instilled by their founder, the late Frans Brüggen), here led by violinist Marc Destrubé.