Luigi Boccherini

Ridolfo Luigi Boccherini was born on 19 February 1743 in Italy and matured as a composer somewhat apart from the major musical centers of his time, holding to a galante style even as the Classical era moved around him. He's best known for the minuet from his String Quintet in E, Op. 11, No. 5 (G 275), and for the Cello Concerto in B flat major (G 482) — the latter circulated for decades in a heavily altered version by Friedrich Grützmacher before being restored to what Boccherini actually wrote. His output includes several guitar quintets, among them the Guitar Quintet No. 4 in D (G 448), whic…