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Though never a rival to his contemporaries Haydn and Mozart in terms of fame, partly on account of a lack of great ambition, Boccherini was held in huge esteem by connoisseurs in his own lifetime. 'If God wanted to speak to man through music, he would do so through the works of Haydn; if he wished to listen to music himself, he would choose the works of Boccherini.'

There cannot be any greater accolade than this, expressed in 1798 by the French violinist and composer Jean-Baptiste Cartier - and that was certainly not a unique view: Boccherini's prodigious talents as a lyrical melodist and sumptuous sound smith were highly prized by those who were had encountered them.

Boccherini is the greatest Italian composer of the Classical era - although he lived in Spain for most of his career. Distanced from the Austro-German mainstream, his music retained an individual and distinctive voice, imbued with a refined galant grace which, on the surface at least, can sometimes appear old-fashioned even for his time.

Unlike the Viennese school, he was not preoccupied with structural and tonal complexities, but pushed boundaries in his own quieter, more subtle ways. Undervalued in modern times (he has been mean-spiritedly dismissed as 'Haydn's wife'), there is much to appreciate in Boccherini's uniquely expressive voice.

His greatest legacy is an enormous body of chamber works, but his output also includes around 30 symphonies, a dozen concertos for his own instrument, the cello, and a smattering of vocal works. This monumental set gathers all of the above, in lavish performances by artists who are among the greatest champions of the composer's art in recent decades.

Other information:

- Recordings date from 1991-2021

- Booklet in English contains liner notes by Graham Rogers.

- The most comprehensive collection of music by Luigi Boccherini ever issued, 52 CDs brimming with charm, elegance, wit and catching melodies!

- Born in Lucca, Italy, Boccherini (1743-1805) demonstrated prodigious musical talent early on, studying in Rome and later moving to Vienna to continue his musical education. He became a virtuoso cellist, and his compositions reflect a deep understanding of the instrument's capabilities.

- Boccherini's career flourished in Spain, where he served as a court musician for the Infante Don Luis, the younger brother of King Charles III. His time in Spain was highly productive, and he composed a substantial body of work, including over a hundred string quintets, nearly a hundred string quartets, numerous symphonies, and many cello concertos.

- Boccherini was one of the leading composers of the late 18th century, a friend and colleague of both Haydn and Mozart, and a formidable cello virtuoso. Although less dramatic than either Haydn or Mozart, his music does have moments of explosive drama that appear all the more effective when bursting fortissimo from an otherwise calm movement. The harmonic shifts are also surprising and used to great effect. His music is sensuous, passionate and dramatic.

- This new Edition contains a wealth of Boccherini's music: symphonies, cello concertos, sextets, string quintets, quartets and trios, violin sonatas and duos and the moving Stabat Mater.

- Played in Historically Informed Performance Practice by leading Early Music instrumentalists.