String Quintet in E (Boccherini)
Encyclopedia
The String Quintet in E major, Op. 11, No. 5 (G 275), by Luigi Boccherini
was written in 1771 and published in 1775. It is one of his most popular works. The quintet is famous for its minuet third movement, often referred to as "The Celebrated Minuet", which is most-often played as a standalone piece outside of the context of the full quintet.
is a "cello quintet" in that it is scored for a string quartet
(two violin
s, viola
, cello
) with a second cello as the fifth instrument. At the time of this composition, Boccherini had been writing string quartets for about ten years. In 1771, Boccherini's patron Don Luis, the brother of King Charles III of Spain
, began the employ of the Font String Quartet which was composed of violist Francisco Font and his three sons. The Font String Quartet performed many of Boccherini’s works, and Boccherini wrote almost exclusively for them for a period of time. He also occasionally joined the quartet as a performer, which made him need to add an additional cello part to his music.
Boccherini’s first set of string quintets were Opus 10, and were composed in 1771. His second set, written in the same year, was Opus 11. Opus 11 consisted of six quintets, most notably No. 5 in E Major. This became Boccherini’s most famous work, even though when it was published, it did not receive any special recognition among those who heard it.
and becomes A Major
.
In the beginning of the movement, the first violin plays a simple, elegant melody, while the viola and celli have eighth note
pizzicato
. The second violin, on the other hand, has quick sixteenth note
slurs
which contain many string crossings. As Elisabeth Le Guin puts it in Boccherini’s Body: An Essay in Carnal Musicology, “The second violinist has no time for galanterie; he must concentrate on keeping the constant string crossings reasonable even through the length of the bow”.
in Carpentras
. There are countless modern transcriptions of the minuet, including those for the piano, saxophone, two mandolins, accordion, and choir.
, which is one of the reasons that the piece has become so popular. It was also quoted by Christopher Guest
as Nigel Tufnel in the closing measures of the song "Heavy Duty" in the motion picture This is Spinal Tap
, spoofing the classical pretensions of heavy metal groups.
Arrangements of the minuet are also used in the Suzuki Method
for violin, viola, and cello, which made the piece well known among beginner string players.
Luigi Boccherini
Luigi Rodolfo Boccherini was an Italian classical era composer and cellist whose music retained a courtly and galante style while he matured somewhat apart from the major European musical centers. Boccherini is most widely known for one particular minuet from his String Quintet in E, Op. 11, No...
was written in 1771 and published in 1775. It is one of his most popular works. The quintet is famous for its minuet third movement, often referred to as "The Celebrated Minuet", which is most-often played as a standalone piece outside of the context of the full quintet.
Background
This string quintetString quintet
A string quintet is a musical composition for a standard string quartet supplemented by a fifth string instrument, usually a second viola or a second cello , but occasionally a double bass. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who favoured addition of a viola, is considered a pioneer of the form...
is a "cello quintet" in that it is scored for a string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
(two violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
s, viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
) with a second cello as the fifth instrument. At the time of this composition, Boccherini had been writing string quartets for about ten years. In 1771, Boccherini's patron Don Luis, the brother of King Charles III of Spain
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
, began the employ of the Font String Quartet which was composed of violist Francisco Font and his three sons. The Font String Quartet performed many of Boccherini’s works, and Boccherini wrote almost exclusively for them for a period of time. He also occasionally joined the quartet as a performer, which made him need to add an additional cello part to his music.
Boccherini’s first set of string quintets were Opus 10, and were composed in 1771. His second set, written in the same year, was Opus 11. Opus 11 consisted of six quintets, most notably No. 5 in E Major. This became Boccherini’s most famous work, even though when it was published, it did not receive any special recognition among those who heard it.
Structure
The quintet has four movements:- Amoroso
- Allegro e con spirito
- MinuetMinuetA minuet, also spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time. The word was adapted from Italian minuetto and French menuet, and may have been from French menu meaning slender, small, referring to the very small steps, or from the early 17th-century popular...
to, Trio (A majorA majorA major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
) - RondeauRondoRondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also to a character-type that is distinct from the form...
, andante
Minuet
The third movement of the quintet is notably the most famous, and is the most often performed of all the movements. It is in 3/4 time, and is occasionally referred to as the “Celebrated Minuet”. It departs from the original key of E MajorE major
E major is a major scale based on E, with the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has four sharps .Its relative minor is C-sharp minor, and its parallel minor is E minor....
and becomes A Major
A major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
.
In the beginning of the movement, the first violin plays a simple, elegant melody, while the viola and celli have eighth note
Eighth note
thumb|180px|right|Figure 1. An eighth note with stem facing up, an eighth note with stem facing down, and an eighth rest.thumb|right|180px|Figure 2. Four eighth notes beamed together....
pizzicato
Pizzicato
Pizzicato is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of stringed instrument....
. The second violin, on the other hand, has quick sixteenth note
Sixteenth note
thumb|right|Figure 1. A sixteenth note with stem facing up, a sixteenth note with stem facing down, and a sixteenth rest.thumb|right|Figure 2. Four sixteenth notes beamed together....
slurs
Slur (music)
A slur is a symbol in Western musical notation indicating that the notes it embraces are to be played without separation. This implies legato articulation, and in music for bowed string instruments, it also indicates the notes should be played in one bow; and in music for wind instruments, that the...
which contain many string crossings. As Elisabeth Le Guin puts it in Boccherini’s Body: An Essay in Carnal Musicology, “The second violinist has no time for galanterie; he must concentrate on keeping the constant string crossings reasonable even through the length of the bow”.
Arrangements
The arrangements of this quintet, especially of the minuet, are extremely numerous. The entire piece was arranged for a double viola quintet in the 18th century. A 19th century transcription of the minuet for the organ can be found in the Bibliothéque InguimbertineBibliothéque Inguimbertine
The Bibliothèque Inguimbertine is a scholarly library located in Carpentras. It was established by Joseph-Dominique d'Inguimbert, the Bishop of Carpentras from 1735 to 1754. It has been called "the oldest of our municipal libraries" by current chief librarian Jean-François Delmas...
in Carpentras
Carpentras
Carpentras is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It stands on the banks of the Auzon...
. There are countless modern transcriptions of the minuet, including those for the piano, saxophone, two mandolins, accordion, and choir.
Other uses
The minuet has been used extensively in movies, television, and video games, among others. Notable is its usage in the film The LadykillersThe Ladykillers
The Ladykillers is a 1955 British black comedy film made by Ealing Studios. Directed by Alexander Mackendrick, it stars Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Jack Warner and Katie Johnson...
, which is one of the reasons that the piece has become so popular. It was also quoted by Christopher Guest
Christopher Guest
Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest , better known as Christopher Guest, is an American screenwriter, composer, musician, director, actor and comedian. He is most widely known in Hollywood for having written, directed and starred in several improvisational "mockumentary" films that...
as Nigel Tufnel in the closing measures of the song "Heavy Duty" in the motion picture This is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap is an American 1984 rock musical mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner about the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap...
, spoofing the classical pretensions of heavy metal groups.
Arrangements of the minuet are also used in the Suzuki Method
Suzuki method
The Suzuki method is a method of teaching music that emerged in the mid-20th century.-Background:The Suzuki Method was conceived in the mid-20th century by Shin'ichi Suzuki, a Japanese violinist who desired to bring beauty to the lives of children in his country after the devastation of World War II...
for violin, viola, and cello, which made the piece well known among beginner string players.