Boccherini: Guitar Quintets; String Quartet

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Boccherini's works for guitar were all originally composed for other instruments; he later transposed them for a guitar-playing client. There are no real virtuoso turns, therefore, but what we do get is the composer's usual fluid, melodic sense, with the guitar adding a Spanish flavor and a catchy, strong rhythmic underpinning. This is most prominent in the terrific, famous Fandango which closes the D major quintet--which gets a toe-tapping performance without ever degenerating into rambunctiousness--and the final movement of the C major, called "La ritirata di Madrid" (The Procession [or "retreat"] from Madrid). This latter is a set of twelve variations depicting a street band's approach and retreat at night in Madrid, with a slow, quiet build-up and a correspondingly measured de-crescendo, as if the procession were fading into the distance. It's a wonderful piece. Between the two guitar-centered works is a plain old string quartet, which is anything but; it contains all of Boccherini's niceties, such as off-the-beat pulses and exquisite lyricism. All of the playing on this CD, under the direction of Fabio Biondi is superb, with the period instruments generating an ideal tonal balance among themselves. --Robert Levine

Boccherini: Guitar Quintets; String Quartet, Music, Mauro Occhoniero, Luigi Boccherini, Europa Galante, Chamber, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Quartet for Four String Instruments, Quintet for Five String Instruments
Boccherini: Quintets For Guitar And Strings
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • barefoot kicker
  • Vivid & stylish performances
  • Joyous
 Boccherini: Quintets For Guitar And Strings

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

QuintetsQuintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by BoccheriniAll Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. The Best of Boccherini
  2. Giuliani: Complete Guitar Concertos
  3. Boccherini: String Quintets; Minuet in A /Europa Galante * Biondi
  4. Boccherini: Fandango, Sinfonie & La Musica Notturna di Madrid
  5. Boccherini: Cello Concertos, Vol. 2

ASIN: B00000417Y
Release Date: 1994-01-18

Tracks:

  1. No. 1 In D Minor, G. 445: 1. Allegro moderato
  2. No. 1 In D Minor, G. 445: 2. Cantabile
  3. No. 1 In D Minor, G. 445: 3. Minuetto
  4. No. 1 In D Minor, G. 445: 4. Finale (Allegro assai)
  5. No. 3 In B Flat, G. 447: 1. Allegro moderato
  6. No. 3 In B Flat, G. 447: 2. Tempo di minuetto
  7. No. 3 In B Flat, G. 447: 3. Adagio
  8. No. 3 In B Flat, G. 447: 4. Allegro
  9. No. 5 In D, G. 449: 1. Andantino pausato
  10. No. 5 In D, G. 449: 2. Minuetto
  11. No. 5 In D, G. 449: 3. Allegro giusto
  12. No. 5 In D, G. 449: 4. Andantino pausato con variazioni - Allegro giusto
  13. No. 7 In E Minor, G. 451: 1. Allegro moderato
  14. No. 7 In E Minor, G. 451: 2. Adagio
  15. No. 7 In E Minor, G. 451: 3. Minuetto
  16. No. 7 In E Minor, G. 451: 4. Allegretto

Tracks:

  1. No. 2 In E, G. 446: 1. Maestoso assai
  2. No. 2 In E, G. 446: 2. Adagio - Allegretto
  3. No. 2 In E, G. 446: 3. Polacca (Tempo di minuetto)
  4. No. 4 In D, G. 448 (Fandango): 1. Pastorale
  5. No. 4 In D, G. 448 (Fandango): 2. Allegro maestoso
  6. No. 4 In D, G. 448 (Fandango): 3. Grave assai - Fandango
  7. No. 6 In G, G. 450: 1. Allegro con vivacit
  8. No. 6 In G, G. 450: 2. Andantino lento
  9. No. 6 In G, G. 450: 3. Tempo di minuetto
  10. No. 6 In G, G. 450: 4. Allegretto
  11. No. 9 In C, G. 453 (La Ritirata di Madrid): 1. Alegro maestoso assai
  12. No. 9 In C, G. 453 (La Ritirata di Madrid): 2. Andantino
  13. No. 9 In C, G. 453 (La Ritirata di Madrid): 3. Allegretto
  14. No. 9 In C, G. 453 (La Ritirata di Madrid): 4. La Ritirata di Madrid

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars barefoot kicker.......2007-01-10

Boccherini's Quintets for Guitar and Strings do not highlight the guitar as solo instrument in the way that better-known Baroque concerti frame and focus upon their respective solo instruments. Rather, the instrument insinuates itself into a company of strings and plays along with them, sometimes providing a steady background and occasionally emerging as a conventional soloist.

Like a soccer player who becomes an NFL kicker, this unexpected entree of the guitar into an unfamiliar environment displays pleasing crossover skills and unanticipated potentialities.

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble gives a truly splendid performance. Boccherini writes for a vivacious violin, and he certainly finds his desideratum among this ensemble. Indeed, the violin is arguably more prominent in this music than the guitar.

One does not finish a careful hearing of this performance astonished by Pepe Romero's technical virtuosity. Boccherini does not set this artist up for such an outcome. Rather, one concludes with admiration and gratitude for Romero's ability to sublimate certain soloist prerogatives and integrate himself fully into this string-ish company, where he plays with evident cameraderie.

The quality of the sounds produced by the Philips engineers is stunning, a word one strives not to use loosely.

¡Viva Romero and his tribe!

Field goals and extra points, after all, win football games.

5 out of 5 stars Vivid & stylish performances.......2006-10-26

Pepe Romero teams up with members from the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields Chamber Orchestra. Though originally released in the late 1970's, this is still the best recording of the guitar quintets of Luigi Boccherini. The playing is first rate, and the balance between guitar and strings is just right. (In most such recordings the guitar is either inaudible or unnaturally bloated.) Personally I'm not fond of all Boccherini's guitar quintets--one critic grumped that they're more fun to play than to hear. But No. 4 with its famous "Fandango" and No. 9 "La Ritirata di Madrid" are delightful.

4 out of 5 stars Joyous.......2005-12-06

A joyous celebration. That's the best way I can describe his music. It transport me to the past where I can wander around with grand ladies and gentlemen of the court, or go sailing off into the mist.
The Best of Boccherini
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Forgotten Gems Brought to Light!
  • Excellent addition
  • Relaxation music with a kick
  • pure pleasure
  • "Fandango" has a spanish flair and played with such novice.
 The Best of Boccherini

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

QuartetsQuartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Boccherini: Quintets For Guitar And Strings
  2. Boccherini: String Quintets; Minuet in A /Europa Galante * Biondi
  3. Boccherini: Fandango, Sinfonie & La Musica Notturna di Madrid
  4. Corelli: 12 Concerti grossi, op. 6
  5. Musical Evenings in the Captain's Cabin

ASIN: B00000416O
Release Date: 1993-08-10

Tracks:

  1. Flute Concerto In D, Op. 27: I. Allegro moderato
  2. Flute Concerto In D, Op. 27: II. Adagio
  3. Flute Concerto In D, Op. 27: III. Rondeau
  4. String Quintet In E, Op. 13 No. 5: Minuet
  5. Guitar Quintet No. 4 In D: I. Pastorale
  6. Guitar Quintet No. 4 In D: II. Allegro maestoso
  7. Guitar Quintet No. 4 In D: III. Grave assai - Fandango
  8. String Quartet In D, Op. 6 No. 1: I. Allegro vivace
  9. String Quartet In D, Op. 6 No. 1: II. Adagio
  10. String Quartet In D, Op. 6 No. 1: III. Minuetto In Rondeau
  11. Cello Concerto In B Flat: I. Allegro moderato
  12. Cello Concerto In B Flat: II. Andantino grazioso
  13. Cello Concerto In B Flat: III. Rondo (Allegro)

Tracks:

  1. Symphony No. 3 In C, Op. 12: I. Allegro con molto
  2. Symphony No. 3 In C, Op. 12: II. Andantino amoroso
  3. Symphony No. 3 In C, Op. 12: III. Tempo di minue
  4. Symphony No. 3 In C, Op. 12: IV. Presto ma non tanto
  5. Guitar Quintet No. 9 In C 'La Ritirata di Madrid': I. Allegro maestoso assai
  6. Guitar Quintet No. 9 In C 'La Ritirata di Madrid': II. Andantino
  7. Guitar Quintet No. 9 In C 'La Ritirata di Madrid': III. Allegretto
  8. Guitar Quintet No. 9 In C 'La Ritirata di Madrid': IV. 'La Ritirata di Madrid'
  9. Symphony No. 5 In B Flat, Op. 12: I. Allegro con spirito
  10. Symphony No. 5 In B Flat, Op. 12: II. Adagio non tanto
  11. Symphony No. 5 In B Flat, Op. 12: III. Minuetto
  12. Symphony No. 5 In B Flat, Op. 12: IV. Prestissimo

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Forgotten Gems Brought to Light!.......2006-08-31

This was among my very first Boccherini albums (I own 34) and I consider it an absolutely essential collection of his music.

CONS: I wish the Quintet in E were presented in its entirity as this album presents it alone and thus out of its immediate context. Also, the playing on the Guitar Quintet #4 is a bit anemic, especially in the Fandango which sounds much better when played with force and zest(I strongly recommentd the version by Europa Galant) though Boccherini's beauty shines through. Finally, the Flute Concerto is not by Boccherini at all, but by Franz Pokorny.

PROS: Out of the four versions of the Cello Concerto in B flat that I own, this is BY FAR the most beautifully realized version. Its playing is so strong and full of life that I am continually amazed each time I hear it. Its Andantino Grazioso is one of the most beautiful pieces of music that you will ever hear. Boccherini has here reached the sublime. Also, this is the original version of this concerto as written by Boccherini, not the fake Greutzmacher hackjob that appears on some albums.
The String Quartet in D opens with an invigorating Allegro Vivace that is played with such excitement and warmth it will make you immagine you are running through a field of tall grass in the summertime.
The Allegro of the Symphony No. 3 stands up to any of Hayden or Mozart's symphonies. Its brief violin solo is gorgeous!
Finally, the Guitar Quintet #9 is at the same time full of kinetic brilliance and fragile tenderness.

The songs on this album are all gorgeous creations that deserve so much more of the spotlight than they currently have. In all, this is a GREAT introduction to the music of one of history's most beautiful (though forgotten) composers. I warmly recommend this to you.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent addition .......2006-06-17

for any classical music collection.
I listen to this at work in my office. Relaxing and stimulating at the same time.

5 out of 5 stars Relaxation music with a kick.......2006-03-24

I love his music. This CD just confirms that. Very good background music to relax by. Some of the selections have a little spice to them. It's that Spanish flair coming out I guess. Could listen to it everyday.

5 out of 5 stars pure pleasure.......2004-05-30

wonderful recording...a perennial favorite perfect for a relaxing summer evening.

5 out of 5 stars "Fandango" has a spanish flair and played with such novice........1999-04-14

Boccherini- The first classical masterpiece which comes to our mind is his "Minuet". Bochherini has composed over 100 string quintets especially when he was in Spain. No wonder the third movement-Grave assai-in the Guitar Quintet No.4 in D (Fandango)composition has such added spanish tinge to it. Pepe Romero on the guitar accompanied by the Academy of St.Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble has captured the essence of the music with great brilliance. This Phillips recording would be a worthy addition to your classical collection.
Boccherini: Guitar Quintets
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • "Lovely melodies spill forth unhindered"
 Boccherini: Guitar Quintets

Manufacturer: Hmf Classical Exp.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Boccherini: Guitar Quintets, Vol. 2
  2. Boccherini: Fandango, Sinfonie & La Musica Notturna di Madrid
  3. Boccherini: Cello Sonatas, Vol. 1
  4. Lute Music, Vol. 2
  5. Piano Trios 2

ASIN: B000059WLC
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

  1. Qt VI. in G, G.450: Allegro Con Vivacita
  2. Qt VI. in G, G.450: Andantino Lento
  3. Qt VI. in G, G.450: Tempo Di Minuetto (Trio/Minuetto Da Capo)
  4. Qt VI. in G, G.450: Allegretto
  5. Qt V. in D, G.449: Andantino Pausato
  6. Qt V. in D, G.449: Minuetto/Allegro (Trio/Minuetto Da Capo)
  7. Qt V. in D, G.449: Allegro Giusto
  8. Qt V. in D, G.449: Andantino Pausato Con Var - Allegro Giusto
  9. Qt IV. in D, G.448 'Fandango': Pastorale
  10. Qt IV. in D, G.448 'Fandango': Allegro Maestoso
  11. Qt IV. in D, G.448 'Fandango': Grave Assai - Fandango

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars "Lovely melodies spill forth unhindered".......2006-04-10

Luigi Boccherini (1743 - 1805): Guitar Quintets Vol. 1 (G. 450; G. 449; G. 448 "Fandango"). Performed by Richard Savino, guitar, and the Artaria Quartet (Elizabeth Blumenstock, Katherine Kyme, Anthony Martin and Elisabeth Le Guin).
Recorded in October, 1989, by Skywalker Sound, Nicasio, California.
Harmonia Mundi. Originally released as HMU 907026. Re-released in 2001 in the Classical Express series as HCX 3957026. Total time: 56'54".

Luigi Boccherini was, in fact, a cellist, and is today perhaps best remembered for his cello concertos, which, in his day, were considered to be on a par with Haydn. Boccherini was a major figure in the European music scene at the end of the 18th century, and that despite the fact that he spent a great part of his life in provincial Spain, away from the great cultural centers of Europe. His large musical output was by no means limited to cello concertos; he produced symphonies and a great deal of chamber music, especially quartets and quintets. A number of these he re-worked towards the end of his life, adding a guitar and thus giving the pieces a peculiarly Spanish flavor. Elisabeth Le Guin and Richard Savino describe the resulting sound in the CD booklet, and their description is so accurate that I would like to quote it here: "Boccherini creates a handsome blend, using the guitar variously as a sonic underlay, rather like continuo, and as a sweet-voiced soloist. What is most endearing, as always in Boccherini, is his artlessness. Lovely melodies spill forth unhindered ..."

The performance on this CD is as accurate and as charming as the verbal description quoted above. There is no competition here between soloist and string quartet, but rather a delightful harmony that makes for relaxing listening where one can allow oneself the luxury of following now one instrument, then another, the guitar being all the while present but never dominant. This is made a further pleasure by the pleasant acoustics and the wonderful engineering. Full marks! After hearing this, I soon went on to buy the other two discs in this series, both equally enjoyable.
Boccherini: Guitar Quintets, Vol. 2
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Delightful music, gorgeous playing
 Boccherini: Guitar Quintets, Vol. 2
Richard Savino , and The Artaria Quartet
Manufacturer: Hmf Classical Exp.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

QuintetsQuintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by BoccheriniAll Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Boccherini: Guitar Quintets
  2. Boccherini: Complete Guitar Quintets
  3. Lute Music, Vol. 2
  4. Piano Trios 2
  5. John Johnson: Lute Music

ASIN: B00005N8CZ
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Delightful music, gorgeous playing.......2006-04-15

Luigi Boccherini (1743 – 1805): Guitar Quintets Vol. 2 (Quintets No. 1 thru 3, G. 445 – 447; these are transcriptions by the composer of his piano quintets Op. 57, Nos. 4,5 and 2).
Performed by Richard Savino, guitar, and The Artaria Quartet (Elizabeth Blumenstock, Katherine Kyme, Anthony Martin and Elisabeth Le Guin).
Recorded in September, 1990, at Skywalker Sound, Nicasio, California.
Harmonia Mundi. Re-issued in 2001 as HCX 3957039. Total time: 70’29”.

Having bought and thoroughly enjoyed Vol. 1 of this three-volume series with Boccherini’s eight guitar quintets played on period instruments, I had no hesitation in buying Vol. 2. And I was certainly not disappointed: the music here is equally delightful (“Lovely melodies spill forth unhindered”, R. Savino in the liner notes), the sound quality well-nigh perfect and the playing absolutely gorgeous. If you love the sound of the guitar and can imagine enjoying light, tuneful violin and cello playing along with it, this is definitely one for you. All three discs in the series belong to the highlights of my CD collection and even accompanied me to hospital while I was undergoing treatment for cancer in 2003 (although they can, of course, best be enjoyed on high-quality home stereo).
Boccherini: Guitar Quintets/String Quartet - Mauro Occhoniero, Fabio Biondi, Europa Galante
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Exquisite - Boccherini gently lulls you, then grabs you!!!
  • Where's the guitar?
  • Boccherini Lives!
 Boccherini: Guitar Quintets/String Quartet - Mauro Occhoniero, Fabio Biondi, Europa Galante

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

QuartetsQuartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
QuintetsQuintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by BoccheriniAll Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
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  5. A. Scarlatti - La Santissima Trinità / Invernizzi · Gens · Genaux · Agnew · Abbondanza · Europa Galante · Biondi

ASIN: B0000E6POK
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Tracks:

  1. I Pastorale
  2. II Allegro Maestoso
  3. III Grave Assai
  4. IV Fandango
  5. I Allegro Vivo Assai
  6. II Adagio
  7. III Minuetto
  8. I Allegro Maestoso Assai
  9. II Andantino
  10. III Allegretto
  11. IV 'La Ritirata Di Madrid': Variazioni

Amazon.com

Boccherini's works for guitar were all originally composed for other instruments; he later transposed them for a guitar-playing client. There are no real virtuoso turns, therefore, but what we do get is the composer's usual fluid, melodic sense, with the guitar adding a Spanish flavor and a catchy, strong rhythmic underpinning. This is most prominent in the terrific, famous Fandango which closes the D major quintet--which gets a toe-tapping performance without ever degenerating into rambunctiousness--and the final movement of the C major, called "La ritirata di Madrid" (The Procession [or "retreat"] from Madrid). This latter is a set of twelve variations depicting a street band's approach and retreat at night in Madrid, with a slow, quiet build-up and a correspondingly measured de-crescendo, as if the procession were fading into the distance. It's a wonderful piece. Between the two guitar-centered works is a plain old string quartet, which is anything but; it contains all of Boccherini's niceties, such as off-the-beat pulses and exquisite lyricism. All of the playing on this CD, under the direction of Fabio Biondi is superb, with the period instruments generating an ideal tonal balance among themselves. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Exquisite - Boccherini gently lulls you, then grabs you!!!.......2006-09-08

This has got to be one of the best albums of any composer's work that I own. Europa Galante handles Boccherini's music perfecty in that the parts which were written to give a warm, soft beauty do just that and the parts that were written to get you off your feet really get you moving.

The Guitar Quintet #4 starts off slowly and sweetly with delicate trills that will still tingle your spine after several hearings. The music then progresses in intensity until, in the fourth movement, in breaks into a rythmic fandango (with castanettes in this recording) that is almost impossible not to dance or at least tap your feet to (Though I wish the guitar were a little louder as it tends to fade throughout both quintets as noted by another reviewer).

The choice of the String Quartet in G minor is a great one as it refutes the outdated (and ignorant) idea that Boccherini never went below the surface in his music (this myth is perpetuated by the fact that most people only associate Boccherini with his famous "Minuet Celebre" which is very pretty but does sound very shallow). This Quartet explores feeling beautifully and introspectively.

Finally, the Guitar Quintet #9 contains a full range of style/emotion in each of its movements. It switches from grandure to tenderness and from gentle simplicity to stirring rythym. Europa Galante expresses all of this very well.

It may sound like I'm being a Boccherini apologist but I can't find any substantial reason to give this album any less than five well-deserved stars for both the selection of music and Europa's handling of it.

3 out of 5 stars Where's the guitar?.......2005-02-25

Fabio Biondi and the Europa Galante play beautifully on these three Boccherini works, the most familiar being the "Fandango" quintet. At times, the obvious passion of the musicians can't completely overcome the tedium of some of the less inspiring passages. But, for the most part, the playing is illuminating.

Nevertheless, I have a beef with this CD. I bought it because I'm partial to classical guitar and was disappointed that, in the two guitar quintets, you can barely hear the guitar. Whether that's because of the use of period instruments or because of the way it was recorded matters not. I don't need the guitar ridiculously up front, but I want to be aware of its presence without straining to hear it. If I had listened to this CD blindfolded I might have assumed these were three quartets rather than a quartet and two guitar quintets (although there are a few brief passages during which the guitar can be prominently heard).

Altogether an engaging listen, but if I purchase a guitar quintet, I'd like to hear the guitar.

5 out of 5 stars Boccherini Lives!.......2004-06-26

The world of classical music is in a strange state indeed at the start of the 21st century. While the 120-something-year-old St. Louis Symphony is saved from bankruptcy only at the eleventh hour, and the once-most-recorded orchestra in the world (the Philadelphia Orchestra) can't buy a recording contract with a major label, classical music seems not merely alive and well, based on the number of recordings that pour out each month--it seems absolutely thriving. The answer is a simple one: the so-called major labels are no longer the place to find the best and most exciting classical offerings. Though EMI may have had to cut Robert Alagna (no skin off his nose-DG just signed him on), EMI's more adventuresome Virgin subsidiary can be counted on for some of the best and most innovative musical offerings on CD today.

The current disc is certainly a case in point. In the hands of Fabio Biondi and his Europa Galante, Boccherini's chamber works comes fully to life. Most of the reason is sheer musicianship, of course. These guys know how to play music of the 18th century in a way that perfectly balances elegance and élan. There simply has never been a finer rendition of Boccherini's popular "Fandango" Quintet. The balances among the period instruments are so right and proper that among recordings of this work that I know, only here, on this disc, can you realize how masterly was Boccherini's writing for strings. If you already have a recording of this work, forget it--this new recording will open your ears. True, in the last movement Biondi jazzes things up a bit with the inclusion of a part for tambourine. I'm not sure whether there is some ad libidum indication in the score for this instrument or not, but I also don't care. The result is perfection.

The same can be said of the other performances on this CD. Boccherini's string quartets have been receiving well-merited attention lately on disc, especially from the Borciani Quartet on Naxos (worth investigating also), but Biondi has picked out a quartet that hasn't been recorded lately, at least as far as I know. The Quartet in G Minor is a serious but charming work well worth getting to know. And the final piece on the disc, the other most famous guitar quintet, "La ritirata di Madrid," emerges as much more than just that celebrated finale. The long, finely written sonata first movement is given its full due, as are the moving slow movement and buoyant Allegretto. But again, in the variation-form finale, there simply are no rivals to Biondi and friends. As with the finale of the "Fandango" Quintet, the producers of the disc help Boccherini out a bit. Here, Boccherini wished to portray the advance and recession of a night patrol in Madrid, and so the members of Europa Galante "proceed" across the soundstage from left to right, taking center stage for a powerful rendition of the middle variations of the movement before receding out of "sight" at last. For me, this isn't mucking around with things; it's just taking advantage of the medium and making "old" music live again for the listener. The best part is that we end up appreciating the achievement of Boccherini all the more. That's what classical music recordings should be all about. And I'm glad to report that thanks to musicians such as Europa Galante, classical music is alive and well in the early years of the 21st century.
Boccherini: Guitar Quintets 1-6
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Boccherini: Guitar Quintets 1-6

    Manufacturer: Capriccio
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    QuintetsQuintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
    All Works by BoccheriniAll Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B00002DFMX
    Release Date: 2001-01-09
    Luigi Boccherini: Quintets for Guitar and String Quartet
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Luigi Boccherini: Quintets for Guitar and String Quartet

      Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      QuintetsQuintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
      All Works by BoccheriniAll Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B000000SQH
      Release Date: 1995-11-07

      Tracks:

      1. Qnt No.1 in d, G.445: Allegro moderato
      2. Qnt No.1 in d, G.445: Cantabile
      3. Qnt No.1 in d, G.445: Minuetto
      4. Qnt No.1 in d, G.445: Finale: Allegro assai
      5. Qnt No.2 in E, G.446: Maestoso assai
      6. Qnt No.2 in E, G.446: Adagio, Allegretto
      7. Qnt No.2 in E, G.446: Polacca: Tempo di Menuetto

      Tracks:

      1. Qnt No.7 in e, G.451: Allegro commodo
      2. Qnt No.7 in e, G.451: Adagio
      3. Qnt No.7 in e, G.451: Minuetto
      4. Qnt No.7 in e, G.451: Allegretto
      5. Qnt No.9 in C, G.453: Allegro maestoso assai
      6. Qnt No.9 in C, G.453: Andantino
      7. Qnt No.9 in C, G.453: Allegretto
      8. Qnt No.9 in C, G.453: La Ritirata di Madrid
      Luigi Boccherini: Quintets I, II & III for String Quartet & Guitar - The Artaria Quartet / Richard Savino
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • Pleasant music beautifully played
      		 Luigi Boccherini: Quintets I, II & III for String Quartet & Guitar - The Artaria Quartet / Richard Savino
      Luigi Boccherini , Richard Savino , and The Artaria Quartet
      Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      QuintetsQuintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
      All Works by BoccheriniAll Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      Similar Items:
      1. Boccherini: Guitar Quintets

      ASIN: B0000007CV
      Release Date: 1992-12-07

      Tracks:

      1. Qnt No.1 in d, G.445: Allegro Moderato
      2. Qnt No.1 in d, G.445: Cantabile
      3. Qnt No.1 in d, G.445: Minuetto
      4. Qnt No.1 in d, G.445: Allegro Assai
      5. Qnt No.2 in E, G.446: Maestoso Assai
      6. Qnt No.2 in E, G.446: Adagio
      7. Qnt No.2 in E, G.446: Polacca (Tempo Di Meinuetto)
      8. Qnt No.3 in B flat, G.447: Allegro Moderato
      9. Qnt No.3 in B flat, G.447: Tempo Di Minuetto
      10. Qnt No.3 in B flat, G.447: Adagio
      11. Qnt No.3 in B flat, G.447: Allegro

      Customer Reviews:

      4 out of 5 stars Pleasant music beautifully played.......2002-06-09

      Perfect music for a dinnerparty or settling a toddler for supper. I enjoyed discovering this disc, not having come across many "Guitar Quintets" before. I was sceptical, knowing the famous horrid "Boccherini's Menuet" from youthful Eisteddfod attempts, but the Haydneseque textures and easy tunefulness have a special charm. A classical composer, his work reminds of Haydn more than Mozart and never becomes terribly profound, an atribute I found quite refreshing. Clear the ears and mind with some lighter - never frivolous - transparently textured chamber music, but also check out the NAXOS versions for a cheaper and beautifully performed alternative and get two volumes for the price of this one.
      Greatest Hits for String Quartet
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		Greatest Hits for String Quartet

        Manufacturer: Essay
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        QuartetsQuartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
        QuintetsQuintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by BoccheriniAll Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by BorodinAll Works by Borodin | Borodin, Alexander | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by Franz Joseph HaydnAll Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAll Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by MendelssohnAll Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by SchubertAll Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by ShostakovichAll Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by TchaikovskyAll Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
        ASIN: B00000083L
        Release Date: 1994-01-28

        Tracks:

        1. Str Qt in F, Op.3, No.5: Andante Cantabile
        2. Str Qt in D, Op.76, No.5: Finale - Presto
        3. Str Qt in E, Op.13, No.5: Minuetto (Con Un Poco Di Moto)
        4. Cl Qnt in A, K.581: Larghetto
        5. Gtr Qnt in D, G.448: Fandango
        6. Str Qt No.13 in a, Op.29, D.804: Andante
        7. Str Qt No.3 in D, Op.44, No.1: Andante Espressivo Ma Con Moto
        8. Str Qt No.2 in D: Nocturne - Andante
        9. Str Qt No.1 in D, Op.11: Andante Cantabile
        10. Str Qt No.12 in F, Op.96, 'American': Finale - Vivace Ma Non Troppo
        11. Str Qt No.9 in E Flat, Op.117: Allegretto
        Boccherini: Guitar Quintets, Vol. 3
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • Rich harmony, delightful music, excellent engineering
        		 Boccherini: Guitar Quintets, Vol. 3
        Luigi Boccherini , Richard Savino , and The Artaria Quartet
        Manufacturer: Classical Express
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        QuintetsQuintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by BoccheriniAll Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        Giuliani, MauroGiuliani, Mauro | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
        ClassicalClassical | Imports | Stores | Music
        Similar Items:
        1. Boccherini: Guitar Quintets
        2. Boccherini: Guitar Quintets, Vol. 2
        3. Baroque Lute Music, Vol. 1
        4. Manfredini: CONCERTI GROSSI OP. 3 Nos. 1-12
        5. Boccherini: Fandango, Sinfonie & La Musica Notturna di Madrid

        ASIN: B00006I49A
        Release Date: 2002-11-12

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars Rich harmony, delightful music, excellent engineering.......2006-04-18

        Luigi Boccherini (1743 – 1805): Guitar Quintets Vol. 3. Quintet No. 7 in E Minor, G. 451;
        Quintet No. 8 in C Major, G. 453 “La ritirata di Madrid” (ed. by H. Albert and R. Savino).
        Mauro Giuliani (1781 – 1829): Gran Quintetto in C Major for Guitar and Strings, Op. 65.
        Performed by Richard Savino, classical guitar, and the Artaria Quartet (Anthony Martin, violin and viola; Elizabeth Blumenstock, violin and viola; Katherine Kyme, violin and viola; Elisabeth Le Guin, violoncello) on period instruments or copies.
        Recorded in October, 1991, at Skywalker Sound, Nicasio, California.
        Harmonia Mundi. Re-released in 2002 as HCX 3957069. Total time: 71’30”.

        This is the third CD in the Boccherini Guitar Quintet series by Richard Savino and the Artaria Quartet, and it boasts all the advantages of the first two: rich harmony, delightful music, excellent engineering and masterly playing on instruments that seem ideal for this repertoire.
        The first two CDs in the series contained quintets from a manuscript housed in the Library of Congress. The two Boccherini pieces on this third disc have a more chequered history, and Richard Savino does not distance himself from the opinion that the last movement of Quintet No. 8, the famous “Ritirata di Madrid” (a musical description of the night watch marching through the streets of the Spanish capital), was not originally a part of the quintet but was only added to it in the 20th century (see the liner notes). These last two quartets have been handed down in various versions, and they sound, to my ears, slightly different from the first six, probably as the result of editing procedures – there are no surviving manuscripts.

        As the timing would otherwise have been rather short, Harmonia Mundi have added a quintet for guitar and strings by Mauro Giuliani, a contemporary of Beethoven who also lived in Vienna. The piece has, again, a slightly different flavour from the Boccherini, but it is eminently well worth listening to and is here played equally brilliantly with the Boccherini. If you have doubts, listen in to the closing “Polonese”, a virtuosic, dance-like movement that sounds a little like a guitar concerto.

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        10. Debussy: Nocturnes; La Mer; Prélude a l'apres-midi d'un faune

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