Presents

Luigi Boccherini

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Cello Sonata No.1 in A Major, G.13

Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805) was born in the town of Lucca in northern Italy. He studied cello and became a virtuoso. But it was at a time that such players could not yet make a living from touring, so Boccherini found jobs in various orchestras in Vienna and Italy. Boccherini eventually moved to Paris where he hoped to establish himself as an independent soloist and composer but could not and was forced to take employment with the Spanish royal family for the rest of his life. 

The cello being his own instrument, it is not surprising to learn that Boccherini composed over 30 sonatas for cello and basso continuo. But the best known of all of these works are the six published first in London by Bremner in 1771. However, all subsequent editions, starting in the mid 19th century have realized the keyboard part so that it could be performed by the modern piano. Sonata No.1 in A Major, G.13 shows in its first movement, Allegro moderato, the variety of form which characterize most of Boccherini’s sonatas. The first section is stated in the dominant but when repeated is played in the tonic. The slow movement, Largo, shows Boccherini’s considerable use of double-stopping, something which also occurred in the first movement, but not to as great an extent. There is also a cadenza. The finale, Allegro, shows the same form as the opening movement.