Luigi Boccherini

Ridolfo Luigi Boccherini[1] (/ˌbɒkəˈriːni/,[2][3] also US: /ˌboʊk-/,[4][5] Italian: [riˈdɔlfo luˈiːdʒi bokkeˈriːni] ⓘ; 19 February 1743 – 28 May 1805) was an Italian composer and cellist of the Classical era whose music retained a courtly and galante style even while he matured somewhat apart from the major European musical centers.

[8] When his son reached thirteen, Leopoldo Boccherini sent him to study in Rome with Giovanni Battista Costanzi.

Later patrons included the French ambassador to Spain, Lucien Bonaparte (1775–1840), as well as King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia (1744–1797), himself an amateur cellist, flautist, and avid supporter of the arts.

A virtuoso cellist, Boccherini often played violin repertoire on the cello, at pitch, a skill he developed by substituting for ailing violinists while touring.

Boccherini's style is characterized by Rococo charm, lightness, and optimism, and exhibits much melodic and rhythmic invention, coupled with frequent influences from the guitar tradition of his adopted country, Spain.

Boccherini's music is heard in the 2003 feature film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.