Boccherini, "Musica notturna delle strade di Madrid"

Luigi Boccherini, born in Lucca, Italy, on February 19, 1743, traveled all over Europe before settling permanently in Spain shortly after his 25th birthday. From 1757 to 1765 he lived in Vienna, with sporadic getaways to his native Lucca. In 1767 he arrived in Paris, where despite his already widespread fame as a cellist, his stay did not last long. Thus, the following year he was already in Spain, where he lived, between Madrid and Ávila, until his death on May 28, 1805.

In Paris, he had formed a chamber group that included as violinist his friend Filippo Manfredi, a native of Lucca like him. It was with Filippo that he set off for Madrid, both encouraged by the fortunate panorama that the fanciful Spanish ambassador in France presented to them about musical life in Madrid, where the competition – it was true – was far inferior to what they had experienced in Paris, a city that had nevertheless given them a good welcome.

In Madrid

But Madrid's musical life only disappointed them. There was less competition, of course, but that was simply a reflection of the fact that the city was far from the usual circles of artists on the European continent. Nevertheless, and interestingly, Luigi Boccherini would live there for no less than 37 years, most of them in the service of his protector, the Infante Luis de Borbón, brother of Carlos III.

Luigi Boccherini (1743 - 1805)

In Avila

Removed from the court because of his morganatic marriage, Prince Luis left for Avila with his chamber musicians, including Boccherini. The maestro complained daily of his isolation from Madrid's musical circles and had no choice but to devote much of his time to composing chamber music, the only genre for which he had performers. From those years are some of his most interesting quintets, the most popular being Quintet in C major, where he, captivatingly, pours out his longing for the sounds of the streets of Madrid's nightlife.

"Musica notturna delle strade di Madrid" — Quintet for two violins, viola and two violoncellos, in C major

The work doubles the violoncellos and not the violas, in accordance with the maestro's favorite formation... of course, if he was a cellist.

The piece, written in the key of C major, has five movements. Two short interlude-like passages separate the first movement from the second, and the fourth from the last. Each movement represents a different scene, but they all share a structure that is not very "classical" or traditional, which makes the piece quite unusual, even for Boccherini himself, who initially refused to publish it because he believed that no one who was not from Madrid could understand it.

Movements
I     00 Le campane dell'Ave Maria (call to the faithful to pray the Ave Maria)

II   01:20 Minuetto dei Ciechi (Minuet of the Blind, contains the author's indication for the cellists to place the instrument on their knees and "strum" them as if they were guitars).

III  03:21 Il Rosario

IV  07:55 Passacalle (piece also known as "Los Manolos", in allusion to popular pedestrians)

V   10:16 Ritirata (the soldiers retire to their barracks, having finished their night vigil).

The audio-only version, but with period instruments, is by the chamber ensemble Le Concert des Nations, conducted by Jordi Savall.