Summary: “Luigi Boccherini (1743 - 1805)” Luigi Boccherini, the classical era composer and cellist known for his courtly and galante style, was born in Italy into a musical family. In 1761 Boccherini went to Madrid, entering in 1770 the employ of Infante Luis Antonio, younger brother of King Charles III of Spain. Later patrons included the French ambassador to Spain, Lucien Bonaparte, as well as King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, himself an amateur cellist, flautist, and avid supporter of the arts. Boccherini is most widely known for one particular minuet from his String Quintet in E, Op. 11, No. 5 (G 275), a "cello quintet" scored for a string quartet with a second cello as the fifth instrument.
