Boccherini Cello Quintets Vol 2

Being the sort of chap who doesn’t like a lot of frou-frou, a string quintet generally strikes the fear of God into me. There is never any excuse for two violas. Ever. Luigi Boccherini has no truck with such frippery either, and wrote his quintets with the cello doubled. Some might say circumstance impelled him - the family that employed him had two cellists - but I prefer to think that he did it so that 250 years hence the editor of the Readings newsletter, gazing forlornly at lots of gaps in his publication, would have this robust, melancholy music to soothe his furrowed brow. Thanks Luigi, you done good.

Peter Salmon is from Readings Carlton