L. Boccherini, L. Berio: Musica notturna delle strade di Madrid

Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra/Esa-Pekka Salonen One of the most popular works that Luigi Boccherini composed is his Op. 30, no. 6, “The nocturnal music of the streets of Madrid”, which he initially arranged for guitar and piano quintet, although it also exists in other versions. Ironically, Boccherini did not want it to be published, thinking that musicians outside of Spain would not understand his evocation of the sounds of the Madrid night. The final movement of the quintet is the “Ritirata” or withdrawal of the city garrison to signal the midnight curfew. As the guard approaches, the music grows in intensity. As the parade passes, the sound volume decreases. In 1975 the La Scala Orchestra asked Luciano Berio for a short opening piece and the composer had the idea of superimposing four versions of the "Ritirata", thus magnifying the heterophotic street music in an exuberant procession.