BOCCHERINI STRING QUINTETS, FULLY ENGRAVED WITH BEAUTIFUL TITLE-PAGE VIGNETTE

BOCCHERINI, Luigi. Vingt-quatre Nouveaux Quintetti. Ouvre 37. 6 Livraison. Paris: Imbault [Ignaz Pleyel], [1804]. Folio, six parts with later cloth spines. Housed in a custom clamshell box. $950.

Second edition, fully engraved, with beautiful engraved title-page vignette.

“A prolific composer, particularly of chamber music, with a distinctive and highly wrought style, [Boccherini] is the chief representative of Latin instrumental music during the Viennese Classical period” (New Grove 2: 825). He was particularly committed to the string quintet, ultimately composing over 100 of them (a Boccherini revival was spurred in the 1950s by performances by the Boccherini Quintet, named after the master of their genre). This is Volume Six of Pleyel’s 1804 reissue of 24 Quintets; labeled Op. 37, it includes three individual pieces from Ops. 25, 45, and 46 in the composer’s own numbering system. The title page notes that the first violincello may be replaced by an alto violincello: both parts are included here, for a total of six individual parts. With the imprint of Imbault pasted over Pleyel’s original imprint and Ignaz Pleyel’s stamp to title page.

Scattered light foxing. A beautiful set in exceptional condition. Scarce.