Luigi Boccherini was born on February 19, 1743 in Lucca, Italy, and died on May 28, 1805 in Madrid, Spain.

Boccherini’s most well-known works include the famous “Minuet” from his String Quintet in E Major (op. 11, no. 5), and his Cello Concerto in B-flat Major, which is frequently performed by many cellists to this day (albeit in a heavily altered version by Romantic-era cellist Friedrich Grützmacher). However, he was an extremely prolific composer, writing over one-hundred string quintets, at least nineteen cello sonatas and twelve cello concertos, among other works. Boccherini is often credited with bringing the cello into a more prominent role in chamber compositions instead of relegating it to a purely accompanying role.

In addition to his compositional career, Boccherini was a virtuoso cellist who was said to be able to read violin repertoire at pitch on the cello. As such, most of his cello compositions make use of the higher register of the instrument and frequently employ thumb position — a technique Boccherini popularized.

Of Boccherini’s nineteen surviving cello sonatas, only six were published during his lifetime; the Sonata No. 6 in A Major is the most frequently performed. While most cellists perform the work with piano accompaniment (often in the arrangement by Romantic-era cello virtuoso Alfredo Piatti), the sonatas were originally orchestrated for two cellos, with the second cellist playing the accompaniment. Boccherini’s father was also a cellist, and these works were likely intended for the two men to play together.