A Mass almost by Chance 19

A Mass almost by Chance

Perhaps people want to be indulgent orchestra. The ample introductory towards the "sins of my old age", volume to the recent critical edition or perhaps it seems inopportune to promoted by the Fondazione Rossini refer repeatedly to the occasiona[ of Pesaro, besides the usual philo­ moment of tiredness - w ho does no t logical restoration, effects what in suffer from them?- but it is certain our terminology we call a "genetic" that in general people prefer not to examination of the score. In other mention, or at least only to whisper, words, on the basis of the state of a quite widely held opinion ... the paper, of the handwriting, of the Which is this. The orchestral version types ofink, ofthe weight ofthe pen­ ofthe Petite messe solennelle is said stroke, and above all of the continual to be nothing more than a transcrip­ modifications introduced during the tion done as a mere duty. Perhaps course ofthe work, has succeeded in Rossini might have avoided doing indentifying the layers of composi­ it. Why would he have wanted to or­ tion, and recognizing at least eight chestrate the original for two pianos different moments spread over the and harmonium which had been so six years ofwork on the Petite messe, successful? That is the masterpiece, the years preceding his death (1868). while this other- its arthritic sym­ In the beginning Rossini had merely phonic expansion - looks like a bu­ conceived an important sacred reaucratic homage to contemporary work for eight voices and piano, fashion, with no appeal today, other then, following a continuous proc­ than curiosity about the operation. ess of expansion, additions to and Certainly in recent years excellent re-organizations of the work, he put performances of the orchestra[ ver­ together the composition as we know sion have appeared, but the impres­ it today, lasting nearly two hours, sion remains that this has happened the orchestral version ofwhich is its more for the sake of the singers t han apotheosis. for the intrinsic merits of Rossini's The symphonic ideal that Rossini sco re. conceives for the Petite messe is far from the great masses ofperformers The recently published study of the typical of sacred works in the second two Rossini autographs, that of the half ofthe nineteenth century. I t is a "chamber" version and the follow­ c ho ice going against all the tendency ing "orchestral'' one, has allowed us ofexpansion to which the symphonic to understand the motives behind works of t ha t period were inclining. this double publication and, at the The phonic weight of the numerous same time, has revealed how far the body of wind instruments must, performances that we are used to however, have sounded less inva­ hearing might seem from Rossini's sive than they would when modern intentions, particularly those with instruments are used, so that only a 20 Petite messe solennelle

moderate number ofstrings is neces­ completely ideological, to push the sary to balance them. version for two pianos and harmo­ The unifying harmonic factor is nium (more often limited tojust one assigned to the organ, which is not piano), the unusual scoring ofwhich given a real solo role. To this rough supported the eccentric image that and severe orchestration, that has people had of the composer. Worse: no part in late Romantic symphonic the chamber version encouraged the opulence, Rossini adds a chorus of anti-catholic and modernist cause, just a few voices in which the solos the real reason for the success that do not contrast with the full chorus was attributed to its miniature for­ but are an integrai part ofthem. In mat. The embarrassment of ecclesi­ fact, Rossini prescribes that the solo­ astica[ circles concerning the use of ists must always sing along with the the piano- an instrument foreign to chorus, as though the Mass had been church use - together with a sing­ thought of just for four solo voices, ing style occasionally too "operatic", supported, if you like, by a little made the "chamber" version beloved choir useful for varying the body of of the left-wing avant-garde: some sound and the timbric depth of the among them discovered that the use leading parts. ofkeyboard instruments anticipated The full score of the Petite messe such pieces as Stravinskij's Les poses more problems t han o ne o n the N oces. I n fact, the piano an d harmo­ performance level: the relationship nium, solo or together, were instru­ between the soloists and the chorus, ments often used for concerts in the the balance between the sections of houses ofSecond Empire aristocrats; the orchestra, the balance between and they were frequently used for the orchestra and the chorus. The domestic performances ofsacred mu­ first performances of the orchestrai sic, at least before the advent of the version, all following the composer's Cecilian reform that would destine death and all in theatres or concert sacred music to more severe styles. halls, sought to compensate what In 1919, in a climate imbued with was seen as a limited orchestra­ the affirmation of national identity, tion by expanding the weight of the Vittorio Podrecca published an arti­ instrumentation and of the chorus. cle in the periodical "Il primato artis­ The effect was to annihilate, under tico italiano" dedicated to Barbara too many decibels of o ne sole colour, M archisio, o ne of the origina l inter­ the expertly fine handiwork that preters ofthe Mass, who had recently Rossini had expended on the al­ died. Podrecca had the eighty-six ternating use of the most differing year-old singer, whom he had meta types of wind instruments (trumpets few months earlier, say that Rossini with and without piston, chromatic had preferred the version "with only cornets, an ophicleide) and also on piano and harmonium, just as we the highly delicate rapport between sang it". The writer, who had met soloists and instruments. A ne w li ne the eighty-six year-old singer in the ofinterpretation could be opened by preceding weeks, in an atmosphere of considering the Petite messe an in­ Rossinian nostalgia, was in fact pro­ timate composition, to be performed moting modern wishful thinking. It in some sheltered and reverberant is, however, clear that Rossini could alcove in a church. not "prefer" anything, for the simple Besides the lack of understanding reason that at the time ofthe episode that Rossini's score aroused, {rom recalled by Marchisio the Mass had the beginning of the twentieth cen­ not yet been orchestrated. tury there was an explicit campaign, In the end the existence of two dif- A Mass almost by Chance 21 ferent scorings weighed against the Gabrielis, the Bach family. Nieder­ orchestra[ version. People became meyer would also publish, together more and more convinced that the with Joseph Louis d'Ortige, a treaty transcription had bee n a narcissistic on how to accompany plainchant, act of Rossini's, simply to prevent a text in some ways symbolic and a anyone else from getting his hands precursor, perhaps inadvertently, of on it. The alibi was used to neglect that rather artificial "Cecilian" taste the apparently more canonical ver­ which would characterize church sion - but, on the contrary, it was music far aver a century. precisely the orchestra[ version that Niedermeyer's premature death on presented itself as a really "revolu­ the 14 March 1861left a significant tionary" contribution to music. gap in Parisian culturallife, no less In fact, during the long period of than in Rossini's. Perhaps even that time in which the Petite messe took summer - though the work is dated form, the idea of realizing a Mass, the following May - the composer even one sui generis, but with a sym­ occupied his days in his country phonic scoring suitable far church villa at Passy in composing a Kyrie use, got under way as early as 1864, in memory of his friend. From if no t earlier. Niedermeyer's Mass in B minor, his most successful work, Rossini After he had retired from writing extracted the Et incarnatus, the only far the theatre after Guillaume Tell a cappella [unaccompanied] sec­ (1829), Rossini had returned to Paris tion, changing the words to "Christe in 1843 to undergo medical treat­ eleison"; finally he set it between ment. On that occasion he had de­ two choral tableaux in which eight clined the invitation oftheAcadémie voices, accompanied by the piano, Royale de la Musique to dedicate sing "Kyrie eleison". In this curious himself to a pastiche that might in memoriam piece - perhaps con­ turn into a new opera. Three years ceived as one of the many Péchés de later the director of the Académie vieillesse ["Sins of my old age"]- the returned to the attack, sending the rapid and insistent rhythm of the composer Louis Niedermeyer to Bo­ piano stands aut, almost making the logna to propose the project again. immobility of the unaccompanied Perhaps because of the euphoria of Christe to his colleague's notes even the preparations far his marriage more unexpected and unreal. to Olympe Péllisier, perhaps be­ We do not know the reasons why this cause of his friendly feelings far his Kyrie, in just a few months, from fellow-composer, the fact remains being an homage to a friend, had that Rossini convinced himself to turned into the first part of a new accept. At the end of 1846 Paris saw Mass; not, however, the Mass as we the first night of Robert Bruce, a know it today, but a first sketch with­ re-hash ofLa donna del lago with a out the Sanctus and Agnus Dei, like new libretto and music interpolated others that Rossini had composed from other operas: Niedermeyer had in his youth, and as it was usual to perpetrated the arrangement and write them in Italy. The date at the had written the French recitatives. end of the Kyrie was cancelled, and This younger colleague would sub­ in fact the fugal finale ofthe conclud­ sequently restare life to the school of ing Credo ends with a new inscrip­ music founded by Alexandre Choron, tion: "Passy, l O Juin 1863". In a year making an active contribution to the Rossini had realized a Mass in three revival ofGregorian chant and "clas­ parts, adding to the Kyrie six sec­ sica[" music, meaning Palestrina, the tions of the Gloria and the imposing 22 Petite messe solennelle

Nicene Creed. It is highly probable, 1860), one of the most respected however, that the sections without bankers in France and an amateur chorus (Gratias, Domine, Qui tollis, violinist, had been before him. It Quoniam) were pre-existing pieces: was the young Count, w ho managed the Quoniam seems, in fact, to have Rossini's finances, w ho obtained per­ bee n adapted {rom a piano piece, and mission for the Mass to be performed the other numbers sound like inde­ as the inaugural concert of his new pendent vocal compositions. This house. The celebration would take hypothesis would explain the rapid place on the 14 March 1864. The date way in which they were composed. was perhaps chosen deliberately, In this phase a harmonium was seeing that it was the day on which added to the piano part in the ac­ Niedermeyer had died. For this occa­ companiment. The two fugal sec­ sion the Mass was completed by the tions concluding the second and other two sections of the Ordinary third numbers are too difficult for of the Mass- Sanctus and Agnus the voices to be left unsupported; the Dei - and, to give the choir a rest, eight choristers arejoined by the four an instrumental Prélude was writ­ soloists, as is revealed by the heading ten, salvaged at the last minute {rom in Italian: yet another piece {rom the Péchés de vieillesse. Piccola messa di Gloria. Rossini dedicated a copy ofthe Mass Composta per la mia villeggiatura di Passy to the Count's wife: {rom the head­ con accompagnamento di piano e harmonium ing, which has survived in the auto­ da eseguirsi da otto sole voci di coro e quattro graph, we see that, perhaps because di solo, totale dodici cantori (tanti erano gli of the development {rom three into apostoli). È questo l'ultimo peccato venale di five sections, the Mass has assumed mia vecchiezza. G. Rossini. Passy, 1863 the title of Petite messe solennelle. The numbers added for this occasion [Composed {or my summer residence in Passy have all the directions in French, with accompaniment for piano and harmo­ just as the new title of the Mass is nium to be performed by eight solo chorus in French. voices and four soloists, making a total of Right {rom the time when he received twelve singers (the same number as of the this commission, the idea of orches­ apostles). This is the last venal sin of my old trating the Mass began to make age. G. Rossini. Passy, 1863.] headway in the composer's thoughts. If, in fact, the Sanctus is entirely This frontispiece, now lost, was unaccompanied, the accompaniment still attached to the autograph of the Agnus Dei is not as pianistic score in 1864 and was transcribed as some of the other pieces: the in­ by an anonymous journalist of the troduction reveals a style of writing "Journal de Toulouse" (20 March) that already suggests the colours of who was able to see the score on the a suitable orchestration. occasion of the first performance of I t was, however, only after the success the Mass. he obtained at the Pillet-Will house, In 1861 Count Alexis Pillet-Will repeated the following year with the (1805-1878), named régent, or mem­ same singers, that Rossini began to ber of the directive council of the attend to the orchestration. Camillo Bank of France, had had built for Capranica, son of the Roman im­ himself a sumptuous town house in presario of the Teatro Apollo, bears the Rue Moncey. The Count was one witness in his letters that Rossini of Rossini's most intimate friends, had begun the work in the summer as his father, Michel Frédéric (1781- of 1864. There is no doubt that the A Mass almost by Chance 23 composer was very satisfied with his convincing himself that it would Mass and, although in the beginning be unwise to be remembered as the he had not perhaps planned to do pope who gave women back their so, the unanimous success of the two voice in church; already too many Pillet-Will performances must have revolutionary choruses had made his convinced Rossini to make his own name disliked by the great monarchs contribution, with his last "sin", to of Europe. The pope's reply (14 May the renovation of sacred music in 1866) was complimentary and be­ those years. nevolent, but no mention was made of any possible solution to the prob­ In June 1865, Rossini appealed to lem. Fewer t han two months later (28 Liszt to convince the pope to remove June) there came also a letter {rom the veto on women singing in church. Liszt, w ho possibly already knew the Boy s' voices would no t ha ve bee n ap­ pope's position, comforting Rossini's propriate for his Mass and castrati good intentions and reminding him were out of fashion. Liszt had taken t ha t in the end the precepts of Rome minor holy orders only the year were not rigorously applied outside before and in those months he was Italy. That was all. living in the Vatican. The Throne ofPeter was occupied by In the two following summers (1867- Pope Pius IX, a name invoked by the 1868), Rossini's last, the Petite patriotic choruses of 1848, as well as messe solennelle seems to have inspiring two pieces by Rossini. The taken on its definitive form. The pope loved music - Rossini could orchestration proceeded vigorously boast of papal approval of his Sta­ and the changes made to the work bat Mater - and Liszt believed that are important, involving some re­ in the Holy Father he had found a touching all aver: the introductions listener with a mind to renewing re­ and instrumental postludes of all ligious music. In the autumn of 1865 sections ofthe Gloria were corrected; there were even rumours that Liszt in addition new ideas were adopted might become the new maestro di to give weight to the finales, above cappella in the Vatican. This was the all in the fugue of the Credo. All moment when Rossini turned to the the additions were intended to be admired Hungarian composer ask­ orchestrated. Furthermore Rossini's ing him to intercede with the pope meticulous care in carrying the new to abrogate the prohibition against orchestra[ choices onta the manu­ women singing in church. script of the chamber version - even We do no t know if there was any re­ adding or removing pages - shows ply, but Liszt came to Paris in March his desire to make the first version 1866 on the occasion ofthe perform­ with keyboard instruments no t j ust ance of his Graner Messe, and the a simple reduction, but a finished two m et several times. In the end version, even though destined for a Rossini was convinced that it would more private ambience. be better if he sent a personalletter to The most significant change is the the pope, obtaining the intervention addition of the Eucharistic hymn ofthe papal nunzio Flavio Chigi, an O salutaris hostia which was not honoured guest at the first perform­ a new composition of Rossini's, but ance ofthe Petite messe. which he took {rom a piece for voice Meanwhile Pius IX was beginning and piano already included in the to think that Liszt's avant-garde Péchés de vieillesse under the title position would not be able to help O salutaris, de campagne [a rustic the cause of sacred music, perhaps O salutaris). The number, originally 24 Petite messe solennelle for contralto, was now transposed tion not to a deliberate choice but up for soprano, the better to differ­ rather to the composer's loss of bril­ entiate it from the following Agnus liance. The too often quoted letter Dei, which is also for contralto. The from Rossini to Pacini of 1864 in insertion follows the liturgica[ tra­ which he declares that he has lost dition of France, more particularly "power to compose and knowledge of Paris, where, from the end of the of the instruments" is obviously a sixteenth century, the anthem at the hyperbole employed to avoid hav­ elevation of the Host was an impor­ ing to accept a commission that the tant moment: the great Masses, from composer d id no t at that time intend Cherubini to Saint-Saens, especially to accept. Similarly, his embarrass­ if connected with official celebra­ ment at having to tell Edmond Mi­ tions, never lacked the O salutaris. chotte that he did not know how to As we have said, Rossini had begun "orchestrate in the modern manner" to "think French", as attested by the was mere coquetry. On the contrary, directions and frontispieces in that Rossini was always very up-to-date language. on modern techniques ofcomposition It seems that Rossini confessed his and on the new instruments that predilection for the church ofFrance amplified the sonority ofthe orches­ e ve n a t the poi n t ofdeath. On the oc­ tra. Already in 1843 he managed to casion of the centenary of his birth, visit Adolphe Sax's factory- only two a supplement to "Le Figaro" would years after the invention of the saxo­ dedicate to him a p age edited by the phone- andina revision of 1868, La writer André Maurel (1863-1943), corona d'Italia, he did not hesitate to w ho would subsequently make him­ introduce the new reed instruments self known for the chronicles of his into the band scoring. travels in Italy. Maurel transcribed Unfortunately the vigorous orches­ part of a memorial left by Rossini's trations ofmany ofthe compositions confessar, the Abbé Gallet de Saint­ ofthose years did not agree with the Roch, in which it seems that shortly fundamentally "vocal" and, in great before dying the composer said: "If I part, intimate nature of the Mass. had only ever had to do with French The testimony of 1867 attributed priests I would have remained a to Rossini by Ernest Neumann in Christian". Italienische Tondichter (Berlin 1876, p. 542) must be understood in The phase of orchestration went on this sense: until the last days of his life. If the commentators ofthe first Pillet-Will A few years ago I had my modest Mass per­ performance did not hesitate to formed with pianoforte accompaniment; after accept the chamber orchestration my death Signor Sax with his saxophones or as "provisional", subsequently the Signor Berlioz, or other giants ofthe modern opinion was spread around that or­ orchestra might come forth to orchestrate chestrating the Mass had been more it, and they would murder, with their noisy of a duty t han a creative impulse for instruments, my poor singing voices and my Rossini. The substantially favorable poor self; car je ne suis rien qu'un pauvre review that Filippo Filippi wrote of mélodiste [far I am nothing more than a poor the Mass was re-interpreted as nega­ melodist]. This is why I have determined to tive, especially in the light ofthe lack place under my chorus and my arias as used of success of the first performances to be dane in the old days a quartet of string in Italy. instruments with a pair of wind instruments It was preferred to attribute the of moderate effect that will allow my poor strangeness of Rossini's orchestra- singers to make themselves heard. A Mass almost by Chance 25

In other words, that which has been to printing the score far voice and judged an orchestration looking piano (with harmonium ad libitum), back to the past, turns aut to be in but avoided buying the performing reality a deliberate choice and in­ rights. H e was right: the performanc­ timately bound up with the special es in Bologna, Turin and above all nature of the Petite messe. Milan, were all disastrous failures. Apart {rom the ineffective approach After Rossini's death (1868), the adopted in Paris, there were too few widow Pélissier lost no time in sell­ rehearsals: the critics were able to ing the rights in the Mass to the find fault with the performance, but impresario Maurice Strakosch, who people were not lacking who sug­ ceded the printing rights to Brandus gested also that Rossini had grown & Dufour, and the performing rights old and had perhaps bee n wise to re­ to Émile Bagier. The latter, director tire into private life. The truth is that of the Théatre-ltalien, would give the Messa solenne was always per­ the first orchestra! performance of formed in theatres, where audiences the Mass in his theatre (28 Febru­ went, above all, to be entertained. In ary 1869) on Rossini's birthday. Milan they thought of rescuing the The first performance, thanks to the flop by adding a descriptive ballet exceptional nature ofthe event and to at the end of the Mass. The result the insistent publicity, seemed to be was disaster: besides disappointing a success. Truth to tell the audience the world of fashion, this operation reaction was ambivalent: the music angered right-thinking people. was beautiful, but the orchestra­ Meanwhile Strakosch went first to tion seemed inadequate. Few said it New York and then to London, here aloud. The general impression was too with costly professional compa­ that it was reactionary. Effectively, nies and nevertheless with scant those were the years of the great success. Other performances were symphonic combinations which in subcontracted in Europe, in little choral works had to shine in all their towns where - all things considered glory. Choruses could easily number - the Mass was appreciated. In the 200 participants and consequently end, Strakosch, to drum up some orchestras considerably increased business, organized a touring mis­ the number of strings. cellaneous concert with three super­ Unfortunately Rossini was no longer stars: the contralto M arietta Albani, alive; perhaps he would have been the double-bass player Giovanni able to explain that his Mass was Bottesini and the violinist Henri aimed in quite another direction- a Vieuxtemps. Only a few parts of the fundamentally intimate direction, Mass were performed and accom­ whose play of timbres would be panied only by the piano: a whole able to reveal all its elegance only orchestra would have cast too much. by restricting the numbers of chorus Perhaps because of the Franco­ and strings. Prussian war (1870), in little less Strakosch sub-let the performing than a year all interest in Rossini's rights for Italy to Bernard Ullman: last masterpiece had completely the former made a profit, the latter a died aut. The Mass would begin to decided loss. Tito Ricordi knew very be performed again, and that with well that there was no hope of en­ reluctance at first, only after the riching himself aut of the rights in a two World Wars. Little by little the Mass, even though it were Rossini's. chamber version would come to be In Italy there was no sale far sacred viewed as a work ahead of its ti me music. The publisher limited himself and would be treasured by choral 26 Petite messe solennelle

societies, comforted by the alibi ofthe version, an attempt, contrary to composer's specification of the less fashion, to sympathize with a reli­ expensive keyboard accompaniment. gious authenticity in the music, far Today the moment has perhaps come {rom the superficial exuberance and to recognize how the innovative ele­ clamorous effects of those times. ment of the Mass, already recognized in its harmonic refinements, may also be found in the instrumental Davide Daolmi solutions adopted far the orchestra[ Translation by Michael Aspinall