Luigi Boccherini was a composer and cellist of the Italian classical period whose music maintained a chivalrous and galante style though he matured somewhat apart from the main musical centers of Europe. In his String Quintet in E, Op. 11, No. 5 (G 275), and the Cello Concerto in B flat major, Boccherini is most well recognized for one specific minuet (G 482). Several guitar quintets were also written by Boccherini, such as the Fandango, which was inspired by Spanish music. Most of Boccherini's chamber music follows patterns produced by Joseph Haydn; nevertheless, by taking the cello to popularity, Boccherini is also credited with developing Haydn's string quartet style while Haydn had often confined it to an ensemble position. Instead, in the works of the famous Italian cellist Giovanni Battista Cirri, born before Boccherini and before Haydn, and in traditional Spanish music, there are several references for Boccherini's theme.

Boccherini, a virtuoso cellist, also performed the violin repertoire on the cello at the pitch, a talent he gained while touring by replacing ailing violinists. This superior command of the instrument was much admired by his peers (notably Pierre Baillot, Pierre Rode, and Bernhard Romberg) and is apparent in the cello sections of his works. He wrote a great deal of chamber music, including over a hundred string quintets for two violins, a viola and two cellos (a style he pioneered, as opposed to the then-popular scoring for two violins, two violas, and a cello), a dozen guitar quintets, not all of which lasted, almost a hundred string quartets, and a variety of string trios as well as sonatas (including at least 19 for the cello). Roughly 30 symphonies and 12 virtuoso cello concertos are used in his orchestral music. Boccherini's style is distinguished by the traditional elegance, lightness, and vitality of Rococo and exhibits a great deal of melodic and rhythmic innovation, combined with regular influences from his adoptive country, Spain's guitar tradition.