Program Notes

James Cervetto (1748-1837)     

James Cervetto was the son of the Jewish violoncellist Giacobbe Cervetto Basevi, most likely born in Verona. Giacobbe emigrated to London in 1728 and abandoned his family name there. He was considered an indifferent player but brought the violoncello to some prominence in London. James was born in England and learned the violoncello from his father. He soon excelled on the instrument and distinguished himself as a superb musician both in London and on the continent. Haydn’s well-known violoncello concerto in D major was written for Cervetto, taking advantage of his outstanding musicianship and technical abilities.
Cervetto’s composing style was intelligent and tasteful, and even though his works were not considered important at the time, he is still performed today. The set of twelve Divertimenti, Op. 2, were composed in 1771. Cervetto also composed six soli with basso continuo, six sonatinas also with basso continuo, and three more technically demanding violoncello duets.

Luigi Cherubini (1760-1842)

Considered by no other than Beethoven to be the greatest composer of his era, Cherubini was born Maria Luigi Carlo Zenobio Salvatore Cherubini in Florence in 1760. His instruction in music began at the age of six with his father, Bartolomeo, maestro al cembalo (Conductor of an ensemble from the harpsichord). Considered a child prodigy, Cherubini studied counterpoint and dramatic style at an early age. By the time he was thirteen, he had composed several religious works. In 1780, he was awarded a scholarship by the Grand Duke of Tuscany to study music in Bologna and Milan.
Cherubini's early opere serie used libretti by Apostolo Zeno, Metastasio (Pietro Trapassi), and others that adhered closely to standard dramatic conventions. His music was strongly influenced by Niccolò Jommelli, Tommaso Traetta, and Antonio Sacchini, who were the leading Italian composers of the day. Feeling constrained by Italian traditions and eager to experiment, Cherubini travelled to London in 1785, where he produced two opere serie and an opera buffa for the King’s Theatre. In the same year, he traveled to Paris with his friend, the violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti, who presented him to Marie Antoinette and Parisian society. Cherubini spent the rest of his life in France, where his music began to show more originality and daring.
His first major success was Lodoïska (1791), which was admired for its realistic heroism. This was followed by Elisa (1794), set in the Swiss Alps, and Médée (1797), Cherubini's best-known work.
Although chamber music does not make up a large proportion of his output, what he did write was important — his six string quartets are excellent and this, his first (and also the third) was regarded as a masterwork. His string quintet for two violins, viola and two violoncelli is also considered an outstanding work.

Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805)

Luigi Boccherini was born in Lucca and died in Madrid. “The Italian musical conquest of Spain,” wrote musicologist Paul Henry Lang, “abetted by the ruling classes, became as real as a military invasion.” It is not too much to say that Boccherini fell deeply in love with Spain and once established there made it his home for the rest of his life.
Boccherini was a violoncello virtuoso and an extraordinarily prolific composer. Among his massive output (symphonies, concertos, secular works, etc.) are no less than one hundred quintets. His style so resembled Haydn’s (1732-1809) that amused colleagues dubbed him “Haydn’s wife.” There is no record of the two composers having met but they exchanged greetings through their publisher and tried unsuccessfully to find a way to meet each other.
Boccherini settled in Spain around 1769 and enjoyed his position as virtuoso di camera e compositor di musica to the Infante, Don Luis. After the death of Don Luis in 1785 he was pensioned by King Charles III but remained in service of the Court.
This didn’t keep him from trying to obtain positions elsewhere. He knew that Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia played the violoncello. The following year he was appointed chamber composer to the Prince, who became King later that year. Boccherini remained in Spain, however, but sent many of his compositions to Friedrich Wilhelm.
It was during these happy years that Boccherini began writing his quintets. Often written for guitar and strings, or for piano and strings as well as many quintets for two violoncelli, Boccherini adapted his works freely among the various combinations.
This concert’s quintet, numbered G. 310, is unmistakably written for two violoncelli and features the first violoncello in many whimsical sallies beyond the normal limited range common to the time. It was the fourth of a series of six from his Op. 28 and is dated 1812.