Boccherini Sonata in G Major, Double Bass & Piano

Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805), Italian cellist and composer, was at first a pupil of his father, who was an “able double bassist.” Boccherini spent part of his life in Madrid. He died in Spain in poverty. During his last few years his productivity was reduced to making guitar arrangements of his works for wealthy amateurs.

Boccherini was a prolific composer - 91 string quartets, 125 string quintets, 12 piano quintets, 20 symphonies, etc. His quintet instrumentation included two violins, viola, and two cellos.

This Sonata, attributed to Buccherini, but not one of the six sonatas often performed by cellists, lends itself well to the double bass. Music of this period is generally idiomatic to the instrument for which it was written and difficult to transcribe. However, in this Sonata most of the double stops are in thirds instead of sixths and the key of G Major is one of the best keys for solo double bass literature.