Quote:
Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA
Quote:
Luigi Boccherini - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In 1761 Boccherini went to Madrid, where he was employed by Infante Luis Antonio of Spain, younger brother of King Charles III. There he flourished under royal patronage, until one day when the King expressed his disapproval at a passage in a new trio, and ordered Boccherini to change it. The composer, no doubt irritated with this intrusion into his art, doubled the passage instead, leading to his immediate dismissal.
|
 |
Well, that seems to be apocryphal. It actually refers to violinist Alexandre Boucher (
the story was told by a French writer named Henri Castil-Blaze). Anyway, I've read....
....another exemplary anecdote: one time, his French editor, Pleyel, insinuated to him that he should adapt his works in order to make them more commercial. And Boccherini replied:
Quote:
|
"I've been writing music for the past 40 years. And I wouldn't be Boccherini if I had done it the way you suggest me."
|
The guy had a strong personality, that's for sure.
Regarding his supposed death in poverty, as I said at the other thread: That's what was assumed until recently. A few years ago, one of his direct descendants studied his testament and other documents, and he came to the conclusion that Boccherini had a quite decent economic level at the end of his life.
By the way, I've followed in Boccherini's footsteps (be jealous
). Three houses in which he lived (obviously, buildings have been refurbished several times since then, but they're still in use) in Madrid: from 1785 to 1787 (left) and from 1787 to 1802 (right).