Boccherini Instrumenal Music

Luigi Boccherini became well-known as a virtuoso musician when he was still a child. In those days cellists had few opportu- nities to play as a soloist. Nonetheless Boccherini made his debut at the age of 13 with a concert in his hometown of Lucca, under the patronage of local maestro di capella Giacomo Puccini (a forefather of the great composer). A year later Luigi performed in Vienna and then in a number of Italian cities, in both orchestras and chamber ensembles. For six months he played with his friend the violinist Filippo Manfredi, in a quartet that also includ- ed Pietro Nardini and Giuseppe Cambini. They went down in his- tory as the first string quartet to give public concerts.