Pietro Antonio Locatelli: A Modern Artist in the Baroque Era by Fulvio Morabito (review)

George Kennaway

Fontes Artis Musicae, Volume 67, Number 2, April-June 2020, pp. 173-175 (Review)

Published by International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/fam.2020.0015

For additional information about this article https://muse.jhu.edu/article/758651

[ This content has been declared free to read by the pubisher during the COVID-19 pandemic. ] REVIEWS 173

the great names of the German Romantic era, in- Publishers, in particular, were active in salons in cluding Brahms, Wagner, Liszt, and Joachim. order to promote their house publications (one Here we find an environment centred on high- thinks of Moritz Schlesinger’s quartet parties in level musicianship and where men and women Beethoven’s Vienna), and musical parties where engaged on a more equal footing than was pos- new music was tried out in front of a select audi- sible in the concert hall. Michael Uhde’s chapter ence were held in the houses of wealthy patrons, moves our attention to Florence and Italy and as well as at inns, hotels, and at the premises could be titled ‘the power of the salon’. This es- and houses of the publishers themselves—but say shows how Jessie Hillebrand used her salon perhaps this will form a chapter in a future book. to promote the careers of her pupils and pro- Certainly, this collection contains much enlight- tégées and also to promote her own career as a ening material, and is a thought-provoking vol- pioneering conductor. The final chapters by ume for anyone researching the music of the Katie A. Callam and Veronika Kusz demonstrate long nineteenth century in general. As we have the way in which the European model was ex- come to expect from Boydell, the book is attrac- ported to America. As European salon-culture tively produced and set, with plenty of well- was, perhaps, fading, a combination of nostalgia, produced illustrations and musical examples. I patriotism, and the need to build cultural cre- heartily recommend it to all those involved in dentials, led émigrés to establish salons of their this area of study and to serious music libraries. own, both of which, in turn, became reflections John Carnelley of the cultural surroundings in which they found Dulwich themselves. Dollinger, towards the conclusion of her chap- Pietro Antonio Locatelli: A Modern Artist ter describing the Staegemann-Olfers salon, in the Baroque Era. By Fulvio Morabito, says that was, for almost a century, ‘a liv- trans. Warwick Lister. Turnhout: Brepols, 2018. ing tradition of Romanticism, where time and (Studies on Italian music history, vol. 11.) [xix, space contracted in the mirror of remembrance, 287 p. ISBN 978-2-503-58017-3. 100i] and where amateurs and professionals dis- cussed a large spectrum of interdisciplinary in- The music of Pietro Locatelli (1695–1764) is not terests’. A neat encapsulation of what this book quite as well-known or as frequently performed seeks to examine. What emerges is that the sa- as that of Corelli or Vivaldi (both a little earlier lon was perhaps the most important element in historically). He has a particular connection the development of the Romantic aesthetic. It with the Netherlands where he lived from 1729 provided a safe and intimate environment where and published nine collections (the final set is professionals and amateurs could mix, where lost). His Op. 3, no. 1 was used as the social mobility was possible through the influen- theme music for the Dutch version of Doctor tial connections made, and where men and Finlay’s Casebook (Memorandum van een dokter) women could interact on an equal footing. The in the mid-1960s, a surprising fact which is one most striking thing is that salon culture was of very few about Locatelli not found in this truly cosmopolitan, with musicians and com- deeply-researched book. posers moving freely between countries (includ- Morabito’s book takes a traditional life-and- ing America), and helped the dissemination of works approach, with roughly equal space given new music and ideas both quickly and effi- to each. A sense of his thoroughness confronts ciently. A slight disappointment is that little at- us on the first page when we discover that in tention is paid to the inherent commercialism of 1694 Locatelli’s mother Lucia Crocchi brought much salon culture (although hinted at in to her husband a dowry which included among Krebs’s chapter): professional musicians always other things a ‘little petticoat of crimson cloth’ travelled with letters of introduction and it was and ‘a walnut sideboard’. This contrasts dramat- their most important entrée into the society and ically with the extraordinary inventory of culture of a new city. Ambitious hosts snapped Locatelli’s goods after his death, which takes up them up and this added to their celebrity, partic- thirty-seven pages. This document, unavailable ularly after the decline of court patronage. in English until now, includes everything from a 174 FONTES ARTIS MUSICAE 67/2

stock of peat in the attic to a dovecote and a bird four which ends like Haydn’s ‘Farewell’ trap in the cellar, in a house of eleven rooms, not Symphony, and the unusually detailed dynamics counting the garden shed where he kept 188 of of the Op. 7 set all attract attention and prompt his books. He had an enormous book collection, one to listen to the music. Again, while the pre- a large collection of prints and portraits, and liminary discussion of the concerto form is per- several instruments; these included two harp - haps superfluous, the examination of the L’arte sichords, a fortepiano, four violins (including a del arco collection is fascinating. Readers may Tecchler and a Stainer), a viola, a double bass, recall the recording of these works by Elizabeth and a flute. In 1742 he was the wealthiest musi- Wallfisch using the 1743 cadenzas by Gottfried cian in with an annual income of Reber in 2010—Reber also wrote down finger- 1,500 florins. ings for the main text of these . The Locatelli’s early years in Rome are relatively question of how the Capricci are incorporated in well-documented (including the ghost story in- the concertos is dealt with carefully but ulti- volving him and Valentini). The period in the mately without making a firm recommendation. 1720s when he travels widely through northern Morabito explores topics such as left-hand ex- Italy from Mantua to and then perhaps tensions and double stops with plenty of music Padua, before moving on to , Berlin, examples; bow technique is equally well treated, am Main, and , however, has lit- with passages on the portato, bariolage, and tle solid documentation. Nonetheless, what cantabile bowing. I would suggest, however, that there is is carefully presented, and some cau- the case for a specifically staccato or spiccato tious conclusions are drawn. His arrival in the bowing is not so well made, given that Locatelli Netherlands, on the other hand, is the occasion uses no notation for this—the bow-stroke for the of a detailed account of his publishing and other example from Op. 3, no. 12 (p. 187) is surely activities. Locatelli’s last nine years are com- whatever the soloist feels most comfortable pletely silent, but Morabito reasonably surmises with. that he participated ‘in those activities that al- Morabito goes on to consider Locatelli’s re- lowed him to live removed from the competition ception. Whereas the English and Italians were and servility of courtly culture’. He did not, ap- not impressed by mere virtuosity, his reputation parently, die ‘in the arms of an extremely vulgar stood rather higher in Germany and France. By French servant, a monster of ugliness and vul- the early nineteenth century his Capricci were garity’, and evidence that he had a wife is some- rediscovered and included in methods by what thin. This biographical section of the book Cartier, Choron, and Woldemar, and recom- is almost certainly the last word to be said on mended by Baillot. That Locatelli no longer had the subject unless further evidence comes to a prominent place in early twentieth-century light. teaching was not, pace Morabito, only due to his Concerning the works, Morabito is equally system of abbreviations. An entirely different ap- thorough—almost too thorough, as there are proach to teaching was under way, one which in several important aspects which get lost among many cases is still with us. But Locatelli’s char- the other details. His account of the origins of acter is surely still recognisable: ‘a composer, the concerto grosso form from Giovanni yes, but also a publisher, soloist, teacher, and Lorenzo Gregori, or the origins of the sonata, or salesman . . . a freelancer, outside the usual the concerto, are perhaps over-specific, but his court circles, sheltered from those obsequious tendency to give substantial quotations—a gen- conventions incompatible with his proud and eral feature of the book—is to be welcomed. irreverent character’. Morabito’s summing-up is However, his explanation of what seem to be the superbly supported by his impressively detailed distinctive features of Locatelli’s Op. 1 is useful, work on this celebrated violinist. The excellent especially his use of remote keys (B-flat minor at translation by Warwick Lister reads very well one point), his varied instrumental colours (us- while retaining a sense of the original writer’s ing a solo—or sola?—viola), and his interest in style. There are occasional oddities of punctua- contrapuntal textures. The horn-like writing in tion, but very few proof errors. While this book the Op. 4 collection, the surprising concerto for is, I think, mainly for specialists, any general REVIEWS 175

reader who dips into it may well be drawn in concepts that are applicable beyond music li- deeper. brarians and useful to anyone actively engaged in outreach efforts. George Kennaway The second section provides case studies of London some of the current major outreach trends, from Outreach for Music Librarians. Edited by social media to pop-up libraries, and demon- Scott Stone. (Music Library Association Basic strates how music librarians are implementing Manual Series, vol. 11.) Middleton, WI: A-R them at their institutions. Misti Shaw’s chapter Editions, Inc, 2019. [xi, 171 p. ISBN 978-0-89579- ‘Reaching In: Outreach Inside the Library’s 875-6. $70] Physical Environment’ discusses the impor- As the editor states in the Introduction, ‘I be- tance of creating positive experiences inside the lieve that a library exists to be used and, in or- library to encourage patrons’ sense of belong- der for that to occur, people need to know about ing. Shaw covers ways to do this within the ex- it’ (p. ix). In fourteen chapters, Outreach for isting physical space (for example, developing Music Librarians helps readers develop ideas to effective directional signage) and fun and cre- accomplish that goal by providing several exam- ative outreach opportunities that can occur ples of outreach in a music setting. The editor, within the library. Chapter 5, ‘How Tweet It Is: Scott Stone, is the Research Librarian for Perfor- Social Media Outreach for Music Librarians’ by ming Arts at the University of California, Irvine, Anne Shelley explores various social media plat- where he works with students and faculty in forms, describes several music libraries’ use of dance, drama, and music, and is well positioned social media, and recommends strategies for to bring this volume to fruition. Contribu tors to success. In Chapter 6, ‘Variations on a Theme: the volume are academic librarians (with one ex- Planning and Designing Embedded Music ception from a public library) from across the Reference Service’, Liza Woznicki discusses em- U.S. who work with music, sharing approaches bedding music reference services as an out- to outreach they have pursued at their institu- reach tactic, looking at steps from planning to tions. The volume is divided into three sections, implementation. Woznicki examines different ‘Foundational Principles’, ‘Ex plora tions in the levels of involvement (from fully integrating into World of Outreach’, and ‘Out reach in Action’. a course to providing in-person on-site services The first section explores what the editor re- to providing virtual reference), important de- lates to ‘threshold concepts’ for outreach, or ‘the sign considerations, marketing and publicity, basic ideas that one should master in order to and record keeping and assessment. Scott advance in a particular area’ (p. 1). Jonathon Stone’s chapter ‘If Our Users Won’t Come to the Sauceda’s chapter, ‘Diversity, Inclusion, and Library, then the Library Will Go to Our Users: Outreach’, discusses the role of diversity and in- Pop-Up Music Libraries’ describes pop-up music clusion in music outreach by providing exam- libraries and the role they play in bringing ma- ples of programmes and practical tips, such as terials to users while also increasing the visibil- knowing your current and potential users, creat- ity of librarians. Stone also provides specific rec- ing a welcoming environment, thinking strategi- ommendations, such as tying pop-up libraries to cally about your initiatives and goals, and ap- classes and clearly defining success. In ‘Events proaching the canon critically. In ‘Style and in an Academic (Music) Library’, Matthew Vest Substance: Creating Effective Outreach Mate- outlines how to get started with hosting events rials for Print and Web’, Katie Buehner defines in a library, including budgeting, promotion, and core design elements, from colour palettes to evaluation. Verletta Kern’s chapter ‘If You Build icons, and tips for using these elements suc- It, Will They Come?: Fostering Student Engage- cessfully. ‘The Importance of Fostering Strong ment through a Music Library Student Advisory Relationships with Faculty and Students’ rounds Group’ focuses on the role of student advisory out this section, where Kristina Shanton de- groups by detailing her experience at the scribes the challenges of conducting outreach to University of Washington. The chapter covers both groups and provides recommendations for the pros and cons of student advisory groups, both. All three chapters discuss foundational provides practical recommendations (a food