Verdi Forum

Number 13 Article 4

1-1-1985 An Essay-Review of 'Orchestre in Emilia-Romagna nell'Ottocento e Novecento' Gregory W. Harwood Brigham Young University

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Recommended Citation Harwood, Gregory W. (1985) "An Essay-Review of 'Orchestre in Emilia-Romagna nell'Ottocento e Novecento'," Verdi Forum: No. 13, Article 4. Available at: http://scholarship.richmond.edu/vf/vol1/iss13/4

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Keywords Orchestras, Marcello Conati, Marcello Pavarani, performance practice

This article is available in Verdi Forum: http://scholarship.richmond.edu/vf/vol1/iss13/4 An Ess~y-Re~ie~ ~f O~eh~.br..e ~n E~a-Romagna ne.£.- £' O~oee~o e Noveee~o by Greg Harwood, Brigham Young University

ORCHESTRE IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA school of music, or other NELL' OTTOCENTO E NOVECENTO. institution that sponsored an Edited by Marcello Conati and orchestra. Of the chronicles Marcello Pavarani. Parma: that have appeared, several Orchestra Sinfonica dell'Emilia- reproduce valuable primary Romagna "Arturo Toscanini," material about the nineteenth 1982. xi + 525 pp. century orchestra.2 However, the orchestra is not the primary focus of these studies, and Studies dealing with documents, if present, are performance practice in the usually scattered through the nineteenth century have appeared volume and easily overlooked. with greater frequency in recent Furthermore, many of these books years, but important areas are difficult to find in this remain unexplored. One is the country, particularly the older orchestra, its changing organi­ theater chronicles. zation and structure. For the 04Che/.l.tlt.e in EnU.li.a-Romagna Italian repertory, the predomi­ nele' Ot.tocen.to e Novecen.to, nance of opera over symphonic originating in the celebrations music has no doubt contributed commemorating the bicentennial to this neglect. Yet the orche­ stra is a vital component of opera, and the importance of its 2Two particularly rine role is attested, for example, chronicles with information by numerous letters of Verdi about the orchestra are: Ino that show his insistence on Allodi, ed., 1 .tea.tlt.i cLi. Pcvuna precise orchestral sonorities "dai. Fa4ne/.le al Regio," (Milan, and clean playing. 1 1969), and the first two volumes One of the greatest hurdles of La -6.to~a dd Tea.tit.a Regio cLi. a researcher faces is the To~no, Vol. l, 1£ .tea.tlt.o cLi. difficulty in obtaining data. co4.te, by Marie-Therese Bouquet Relatively few source materials, (Turin, 1967) and Vol. 2, 1£ including the correspondence and tea.tit.a delta cit.ta, by Alberto contracts of theater managers, Basso (Turin, 1976). Sergio impresarios, conductors, Martinotti's Ot.tocen.to -6.tlt.u­ musicians, composers, and music men.tai.e i.tai.iano (Bologna, publishers, have found their way 1972) examines several Italian into print. The most valuable orchestras in a general context published sources typically deal but supplies few details. with a particular theater, Daniel J. Koury's recent dis­ sertation, "The Orchestra in the Nineteenth Century: Physical lA number of such letters Aspects of its Performance appear in Martin Chusid, Practice" (Boston University, "Verdi's Own Words: His 1981) presents a valuable thoughts on Performance," in The · collection of data from pre­ VeJLCU Companion, ed. William viously published sources, but Weaver and Martin Chusid (New discusses only the largest York, 1979). Italian theaters.

30 of Paganini's birth, can be which ties together trends noted considered the first major study in the individual chapters and solely devoted to the develop­ discusses Paganini's role as an ment of the orchestra in orchestral reformer. nineteenth century Italy. It The essays generally do a considers the orchestras of an fine iob in linking source entire geopolitical region, materials and providing continu­ covering ensembles not only in ity, although some of the large cultural centers but also collaborators were undoubtedly in small outlying towns. The limited in their research by volume is published under the constraints of time. The study auspices of the "Orchestra was assembled in a remarkably Sinfonica dell'Emilia-Romagna short time - from December 1981 'Arturo Toscanini,'" a regional to spring of 1982 - in order to orchestra officially constituted appear during the Paganini in 1975, which has established bicentennial celebrations. In an archive at its seat in Parma their chapter on the orchestras containing photocopies of in Ferrara, for example, Natali documents concerning orchestras and Stefanati report that time in the region durinq the past did not permit them to search two centuries. for documents in private Written by a group of collections (p. 297). Bizzoc­ Italian scholars, the book coli notes that many items consists of a series of essays, belonging to the theatrical each dealing with the orchestra archive at Mirandola had been in a particular city or $pon­ removed by collectors and sored by a particular institu­ therefore, were not available tion. They are arranged first (p. 285). In his essay about by province, starting with orchestras in Piacenza, Rabitti Piacenza in the northwest and only touches on musical activity ending with Rimini in the in private salons and churches southeast. The volume covers a because of the difficulty of large portion of the cities and conducting research in their towns that had regular opera archives. Girardi notes that seasons or active orchestral scholars are not permitted to organizations.3 Most of the sift through the vast, uncata­ information concerns the early logued archival collection at and middle nineteenth century, the Accademia Filarmonica in when orchestral activity in the Bologna (p. 368). area was at a peak. Marcello Despite these limitations, Conati, who proposed the study, the volume contains much writes an excellent introduction information from largely untapped sources. At the end of most chapters there is an 3rn his introduction, "Il appendix, some quite extensive, progetto di Pagani ni di riforma reproducing materials such as dell ' Or chestra Oucale Parmense e contracts, regulations, and una ricerca sulle orchestre in letters, many published for the Emili a-Romagna," Conati explains first time. Other documents are that some towns with a regular included in the texts. With the opera season or an active exception of letters, these are philharmonic society were conveniently listed in a excluded from the study either separate index at the end of the for the lack or unavailability book. Unfortunately, the index of documents or for the want of makes no distinction between someone to do the r esearch. See documents actually reproduced pp. 11-12. and those only cited. 31 The documents are one of travelogues, as well as books the volume's greatest trea­ and articles primarily devoted sures. They are well chosen, to general history, theater, although unevenly distributed. art, architecture, and ecclesi­ For example, the chapter on the astical history. Information in Ducal Orchestra in Parma nineteenth and early twentieth includes a 16 page appendix with century journals and newspapers five documents from the Archivio are easily overlooked because di Stato, while portions of few articles are indexed and the other doc:umants are quoted in periodicals themselves are often the copious footnotes. On the rare. Several chapters in the other hand, no documents are volume also include a helpful reproduced in three of the bibliography. chapters dealing with Modena, or One significant area for in the chapter on Ravenna, even scholars of performance practice though these cities ware also is the size and balance of important cultural centers. nineteenth century orchestras, Conspicuously absent is a and the large "data base" reproduction of the 1821 P.i.a.110 supplied by the new volume is 0.11.gan..ic.o de.tee. 0.11.c.h~.tit.e. ne.l one of its chief assats.5 The Te.ai:Ji.o Comunale. d..i. Bologna e. introduction is followed by a ne.g.U aUAi. .t.:t;o.b-iU.me.nti. large table, prepared by cLi.pe.nd.e.nti. d.aU.a. ma.g.U..t.ll.a.twLa. Girardi, which gives a sampling comuti.lta.Uva. This document of the size and distribution of occupies a prominent place in instruments at various times for the history of the major many of the ensembles and Bolognese musical institutions, provides a convenient reference since it affected not only the point. The table, arranged orchestras at the Teatro alphabetically by city and COmunale and the Basilica di San chronologically within each Petronio, but also played a city, includes useful informa­ significant role in transferring tion about the documents from administrative control of the which the statistics were city's musical activity from the drawn. For several larger Accadamia Filarmonica to the cities, some confusion might Liceo Musicala. 4 Although a arise because the table gives SUlllll&rY of the document is data for more than one ensemble contained in Mioli's essay on in the same chronological list. the Teatro Comunale (p. 321-33), In Bologna, for example, data it is of such importance that it for the orchestra at the Teatro would be better reproduced than paraphrased. In addition to primary SThe data in the volume seem documents, the individual essays to be carefully assembled. One often include valuable raf er­ error (presumably typograph­ ences to secondary material. ical), however, ought to be Finding relevant secondary noted. The transcription of literature about nineteenth Article I from the "Decreto century orchestras often sovrano riguardante alla Ducale presents problems because Orchestra (di Parma)" of July information appears in such a 1822 (p. 130) mistakenly omits wide variety of sources: the 2 clarinets. See the biographies, memoirs, and transcription of this decree by Marchesi and Pavarani, p. 99, and a facsimile on. pp. 112-12 of 4see pp. 329-33, 346, 366, a list entitled "Stato generale and 377-78. dei Sig.ri Professor!. . .. " 32 Comunale are interspersed with carpi in 1828 had 14 strings and data for the orchestra at San 15 winds, Cortemaggiore in 1835 Petronio. In some cases, the had 12 strings and 12 winds, and distinction between instrumental during the same year, Ferrara groups in the same city is had 12 strings and 13 winds. difficult to define. The The table mentioned above shows "orchestra comunale" listed in that the balance within the Piacenza for 1839 and 1850 is string section itself also the same ensemble that played in differed from that of the modern the theater for those years.6 orchestra. By modern standards, The situation is more complex in almost all theatrical orchestras Parma, where the court orchestra had few violas and cellos, and \'fas used for theatr.ical perform­ the double-basses outnumbered ances, often with additional cellos in virtually all ensem­ . Players paid by the impresario. 7 bles. The use of large double- In addition to the general bass sections during the table, other data are scattered eighteenth and nineteenth throughout the book. The centuries was a particularly chapter on Imola, for example, Italian practice,8 and Verdi has a table listing orchestral distribution for 25 seasons between the years 1837-51. Ba. Scaramelli, who directed These and other archival the orchestra at the theater in materials show that orchestral Trieste, writes in his treatise, size and balance in theaters Saggio 40PJU1 i dove.II.). di un during the. nineteenth century Pili.mo vio.llno V.ili.ett.o~e d'O~­ differ significantly from that chu.tlt.a (Trieste, 1811), 10-12, of the modern orchestra. For that there should be l double­ one thing, orchestras were bass for every 4 violins in the considerably smaller. Although orchestra, but that the number wind and brass sections tended of cellos should remain constant to fluctuate, they followed a at two except in very large trend toward the minimum ensembles. This kind of string complement required by most balance is not found, to my scores of the day (pairs of knowledge, in French or German woodwinds, horns, and trumpets, orchestras of the period. A three trombones, and a low Drass number of 19th century seating instrument), and most theater plans for German theatrical orchestras in Emilia-Romagna, orchestras are printed by even the smaller ones, boasted a Gassner, V~gen-t und. R-i.pieni4t full wind and brass complement f,Wi. allgehende Mu.oilu.t.UUgen-ten, by the middle of the century. Mu.oi.k.eA, und Mu.o~eund.en String sections, however, were (Karlsruhe, 1844). These less standardized and subject to consistently show the number of variation from such factors as cellos equal to or greater than local tradition, economic the number of double-basses. conditions, and availability of For example, at the Munich players. Hof theater there were 20 The ratio of winds to violins, 8 violas, 6 cellos, and strings, especially in smaller 6 double-basses (see also Hans­ theaters, was generally much Joachim Nasselt, Un Clltut greater than now. For example, 011.C.he.4.teJI. 1530~1980: 450 Jafvr.e BaqeJl.i4cliu Hof,- und s.taa.u.­ o.11.C.huteJI. [Munich, 1980 J , 6Rabitti, pp. 44, 57. p. 150), at the Vienna Hofopern­ theater, 14 violins, 4 violas, 4 7Minardi, pp. 85, 88, 91. cellos, and 4 double-basses. and

33 himself suggested some possible conditions frequently counter­ reasons: balanced a tendency toward larger ensembles and for many Here (in Genoa! in the theaters the size of the orchestra they have placed orchestra was especially all the double basses in unstable. At the same time one mass, like sheep; and increasing familiarity with the result is deplorable French and German repertory, beyond belief. I will put changes in the instruments it this way, when the themselves {e ·specially brass and double basses encircle the woodwinds), and the gradual entire orchestra, with acceptance of a standard their dark sound they international pitch all contri­ cover, or at least smother buted to a different way of in part, the piercing thinking about orchestral sonority of the brass and balance and sonority. the bad intonation of the In general, the data in the woodwinds. And the new volume do not adequately sonority of the loud explain when and how theatrical (passages) comes out full orchestras of the region shifted and imposing. 9 toward modern proportions. In the chapter on Parma, for The second half of the example, Minardi discusses the nineteenth century was one of formation of a 120-piece transition for theater orches­ symphony orchestra (which tras in Italy. Political boasted a string section of 42 unification had resulted in violins, 14 violas, 15 cellos, serious problems for the and 15 double-basses) by country's musical institutions Cleof ante Campanini for the and many fell into decline. f.6po.6iz.io11e gen~ale .i.ta..Uana di Lack of financial support from TolLlno in 1884 (pp. 104-5). He the new central government was a makes no mention, however, of major reason, as well as the the BO-piece theater orchestra emigration of players to foreign that accompanied the Parma houses.10 Budgetary restraints premiere of A.<.d.a in 1872. The caused by these unfavorable strings (24 violins, 8 violas, 8 cellos, and 9 double-basses) were stipulated by the publisher at the Berlin Opernhaus, 16 Ricordi in the contract with the violins, 6 violas, 8 cellos, and theater, undoubtedly under 4 double-basses (increased to 10 pressure from Verdi.11 The cellos and 5 double-basses "bei grossen Opern"). The balance at the Paris Opera in 1855 is llsee Marchesi, GitL4eppe listed as 22 violins, 8 violas, V~di e U. Co1u~va.to~o di 10 cellos, and 8 double-basses Pcvuna. ( 1836-1901) {Parma, by Castil-Blaze in L'Acad.enue 1976), pp. 57-61. Marchesi also Imp~e de lllU6ique, 2 vols. lists an 83-piece orchestra (Paris, 1855), 2:466. See also directed by Franco Faccio for a E. M. E. Oeldevez, L'Alt.t du cltel, performance of Verdi's Requiem d'o~che.-6.tll.e {Paris, 1878), at the Teatro Regio in 1876: 14 pp. 106-9. first violins, 13 seconds, 8 violas, 9 cellos, 10 double­ 9chusid, p. 153. basses, 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 4 bassoons, 4 hor ns, lOsee Conati's Introduc­ 8 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tion, pp. 16-20. cimbasso, bass drum, and timpani

34 general table at the beginninq for orchestras detail the of the book is heavily weighted responsibilities of performers. toward the earlier part of the These provided that musicians century and, in fact, qives no play the music without altera­ information for any of the tions, be in place properly orchestras in the region between dressed before performances or 1869 and 1898. More data on rehearsals, and not play orchestras during this period "preludes" after the general would be most helpful. tuning. Penalties for disci­ With respect to the plinary problems were usually influence of 111U6~c.a ol:t.tamon.tana pecuniary, but might occasion­ on Italian orchestras during the ally be more severe, particu­ last half of the ottocento, the larly early in the century. Teatro Comunale in Bologna is of One document spells out special interest. With Angelo auditioning requirements for the Mariani conducting, several court orchestra at Parma Meyerbeer operas were produced (pp. 134-5). Upon passing during the 1860s. The climax preliminary examinations, occurred in 1869, when Il players were admitted as p11.06eta, GU ugono.ttl, and a.6p.i.ll.ant.i. In order to occupy a Robvi..to ~ d.i.a.volo were mount­ vacant post, however, an ed. Mariani also conducted the a.6p~nte had to sightread an first Wagner performances in orchestral piece, then a trio or Italy at the Teatro Comunale: quartet, and accompany a vocal Loheng~n in 1871 and Ta1mhiiiue11. piece, transposing it upon the following year. In his request. essay on the orchestra at the The establishment of conserv­ Teatro Comunale, Mioli includes atories also facilitated greater statistics on balance for the professionalism. Some orchestra years 1821, 1835, and 1901. contracts stipulated that the These, however, fail to show the first chair players provide free way in which the orchestra instruction. At the Teatro changed during the Mariani Comunitativo in Piacenza, for years. According to Mioli, it example, players had to teach numbered 64 in 1864 and reached free of charge two students from 80 in 1869, the year of the poor families designated by the Meyerbeer extravaganzas (p. theater. In several instances, 336). This is almost double the conservatories were founded to size of the orchestra in 1835. alleviate shortages in the local The playbills for 1871 and 1872 orchestra. The School of Music also advertised an 80-piece in Modena, for example, was orchestra, and a 30-piece stage organized primarily to train band. string players for the theater. In addition to larger and A memorandum dated 8 December better balanced orchestras, the 1863 proposes an ideal string documents reveal an increasing section of 10 first violins, 9 concern for a higher standard of seconds, 4 violas, 4 cellos, and playing and orchestral disci­ 6 double-basses. At the time pline .12 The many regulations there were only 7 first violins,

(pp . . 73-74). The number of his unhappiness with the trumpets was undoubtedly orchestra in performances of his augmented for the performance of works. See, for example, a this work. letter of 20 March 1868 to the conductor Alberto Mazzuca to 12verdi frequently spoke of cited in Chusid, pp. 155-56. 35 6 seconds, 2 violas, 2 cellos, tions, boasted 10 violins, 2 and 4 double-basses. violas, l cello, 3 double­ Undoubtedly the most famous basses, 1 flute, l oboe, 2 school in the region was the clarinets, 1 bassoon, 2 horns, l Liceo Musicale in Bologna, whose trombone, and an organ (p.- roots go back to a "Societa dei 345). Clearly other instru­ Dilettanti" organized· in 1803. mental groups of the area also This group held practice deserve investigation. sessions every Thursday alter­ The most acclaimed ensemble nating full orchestra one week of the region was the Ducal and chamber ensembles the next. Orchestra in Parma, historically Their playing was supervised by significant also because it was a small group of paid pro­ the center of an important fessionals including a first orchestral reform led by violinist, a second violinist, a Paganini. The famous violinist, clarinettist, an oboist, a horn who had intended to retire to a player, a double-bass player, a villa outside the city, was violist, and a bassoonist appointed by the ruling monarch, (p.372). Although the school Marie-Louise, to study possible was not founded to supply changes for her orchestra. players for the local orchestra, Paganini's proposals occupy a this became a cruci~l role by major portion of the chapter by the middle of the century. Minardi and is the subject of Turning to another area, another chapter by Dall'Acqua. relatively little has been His suggestions were sweeping in published on instrumental nature and included: 1) an ensembles in Italian religious increase in orchestral size, 2) chapels during the nineteenth a redistribution in balance of century. 0.llchu.tli.e .<.n Emi.Ua­ instruments to conform more Roma.gna includes a chapter on closely with continental the Basilica of San Petronio in standards of the day,13 3) new Bologna, particularly noted for regulations for orchestral its orchestra. Gaetano Gaspari, discipline and penalties, 4) a the mau.tli.o di. cappella from policy for replacement of poor 1857-81, wrote in a letter to players and for more exacting the vestry board, "In and auditions, and 5) the establish­ outside of Italy, many chapels ment of a subscription concert make music with only voices and series, which would include the organ; but one like ours, contemporary continental reper­ composed solely of instru­ tory, such as the Beethoven mentalists, is certainly not symphonies. found in all of Europe" (p. The execution of Paganini's 345). The chapel, in fact, did reform was blocked, primarily by not include any salaried singers court intrigues. Nevertheless, after 1838. During the previous it remains an important mile­ year, the vestry board had stone in the history of the decided to exclude singers from orchestra in Italy. Paganini, salaried positions because of however, was not the sole their annoying habit of leaving reformer of the period; other before the end of every func­ tion. Thereafter, they per­ formed at the chapel only upon 13specifically (p. 136) 13 special invitation from the violins, 6 violas, 5 cellos, 5 mau.tli.o di. cappeli.a.. In 1858, double-basses, pairs of wood­ the orchestra at San Petronio, winds, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 closely associated with other trombones, 1 serpent or c i mbas­ major Bolognese musical institu- so, and a pair of timpani.

36 musicians in the area were least 20 theaters originated active in pressing for change. between 1804 and 1861 - not only /\s 1H1l·ly as 1017, Gaetano Zoccu, in the largest cities of the director of the orchestra at the region, but also in smaller Teatro Comunale in Ferrara from towns, such as Bagnacavallo, 1029-34, submitted a proposal to Fioronzuoia, Piove di Conto, und organize a society of orchestral San Donnino (p. 16). musicians. Rejected at the time The growth of orchestras in by the city government, two Emilia-Romagna paralleled this years later the idea resulted in surge of t 'heatrical activity the establishment of a Societa which was also reflected in the filarmonica (p. 300-2). This organization of amateur orches­ chapter reproduces many valuable tral societies, and subscription materials, including Zocca's concert series si~ilar to those contract as p/L.Uno vio.li.no, and a in England, France, and Ger­ proposal, thought to be in his many. The great demand for own hand, reviewing the sections theatrical music is further of the orchestra and making demonstrated by the large number recommendations for strength- · of regular theatrical seasons,­ ening the balance of the shown in a series of maps ensemble and replacing weak or prepared for the volume. aging players. Also included is The numerous insights into a public advertisement for the musical life in Italy during the position of first violinist nineteenth century and its after his death (pp. 300-7). relation to the society and One of the striking points culture of the time constitute, to emerge from the book is how perhaps, the · outstanding strongly musical institutions in contribution of o~c.he.-6.tlt.e in Emilia-Romagna were affected by Emlli.a-Romagna. Indeed, as the economic, political, and Conati suggests, the volume cultural turmoil that charac­ departs from traditional terized the ottocento. During musicological studies which have this period, parts of Emilia­ tended to focus on a single Romagna were governed by France composer or individual composi­ and Austria, anci their military tion. It also lays the ground­ and police bands played an work for further studies as important role in local musical scholars locate additional life including the local documents that shed light on theaters . The socio-economic orchestral activity. Verdi changes during the century saw specialists and others inter­ the entrenchment of the middle ested in the nineteenth century class as a powerful col!l1lercial will find the book useful and force whose influence was felt. interesting. May it soon be in part, by increased demands joined by studies covering other for theatrical entertainment. areas of the peninsula. In Emi°lia-Romagna alone, at

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