MARTIN RANDALL TRAVEL ART • ARCHITECTURE • GASTRONOMY • ARCHAEOLOGY • HISTORY • MUSIC • LITERATURE Music in Northern Italy with Stringletter Museums and private collections in northern Italy, with recitals 19–27 March 2020 (eg 136) 9 days • £3,760 Lecturer: Professor Robert Adelson Some of Italy’s finest collections of musical instruments, some in private properties and viewed only by special arrangement. Based in Milan, Cremona and Bologna, with some free time to explore these historic cities, and excursions to Parma and Mantua. Recitals on period instruments and the opportunity to meet the collectors. One of the world’s most famous food- producing region: source of the best cured meats including Prosciutto di Parma and Culatello di Zibello, and silky handmade egg pasta. Led by Professor of Music History and Organology at the Conservatoire de Nice. An instrument is the sole and precious witness Cremona, cathedral and baptistery, 1928. to music that was performed in the past. Many years after the musicians and the sounds condition, making it possible to explore the Bramante’s monumental eastern extension of they produced have disappeared, a few rare evolution of the principal instrumental families the church and the Last Supper on the wall of instruments remain, in museums and private – keyboards (harpsichords, clavichords, organs the refectory. collections. Thanks to their preservation, we and pianos), bowed and plucked strings, Day 3: Cremona. Drive to Cremona. This can today hear appropriate music played with woodwind and brass. glorious town in the Po Valley was home to more colourful timbres and more authentic the Stradivari, Amati and other families of performance styles, and better understand the Itinerary luthiers whose stringed instruments have been stylistic choices made by composers. the world’s best for more than 300 years. Learn This tour brings musical history to life by Day 1: Milan. Independent arrival to Milan. about the violin in situ at the Museo del Violino visiting some of the most influential centres Meet at the hotel before afternoon visits to (with a performance on a historic violin), and of instrument making. No city can surpass the Musical Instruments Museum at the visit a violin-maker’s workshop. There is the Cremona for its tradition of bowed strings, Castello Sforzesco, which has a vast collection opportunity also to purchase. Cremona has a dating to the early sixteenth century when of over 800 instruments, including a rare splendid central square formed of cathedral, the mellifluous tone of the Amati family’s double virginal by Ruckers (Antwerp c. 1600), campanile (Italy’s tallest), baptistry and civic instruments transformed the violin from a numerous examples from the Lombard lute palaces, and there is some free time to explore folk instrument to one capable of expressing and viol tradition and many African and Asian these. First of three nights in Cremona. the noblest musical sentiments of the Baroque instruments. In the evening, visit a collection in period. Probably it was Nicolò Amati who a private palazzo where there is a harpsichord Day 4: Le Roncole, Busseto, Sant’Agata. An taught both Antonio Stradivari and Andrea recital and dinner. First of two nights in Milan. all-day excursion includes a visit to Verdi’s Guarneri, whose instruments have become birthplace in the hamlet of Le Roncole, and legendary and whose tradition is continued Day 2: Milan, Briosco. Drive to Briosco to Busseto, where he lived for the earlier part today among Cremonese luthiers. visit Villa Medici-Giulini, a 17th-century of his life. At the 13th-century Antica Corte Milan was the centre of the violin family’s stately residence which houses one of the most Pallavicina in Polesine Parmense discover the early development, but both Milan and Bologna important private collections of European rare and prestigious culatello di Zibello, made were also famous for their lutes. As early as keyboard instruments and harps, many from the rump of a specially bred pig and cured the thirteenth century Bologna was renowned of which have been restored to playable for over a year in cellars to a near-unbelievable for the quality of its wind instruments; the condition. There are demonstrations and intensity of flavour and sweetness. Lunch ensemble of cornets and sackbuts at the church performances on the instruments, followed is in the family-run restaurant here. In the of San Petronio was admired throughout Italy. by lunch in the villa. Return to Milan. The afternoon visit the nearby Villa Verdi, which Northern Italy is home to some of Europe’s Dominican friary of S. Maria delle Grazie was the composer built for himself. most important collections of historic lavishly endowed by Duke Ludovico Sforza instruments, many of which are in playable in the 1490s, the consequences including book online at www.martinrandall.com Telephone 020 8742 3355 MARTIN RANDALL TRAVEL Music in Northern Italy with Stringletter continued Day 5: Mantua. the Palazzo Ducale, a vast world: the violeta of St Catherine de’ Vigri (c. How strenuous? There is inevitably quite a lot rambling complex, the aggregate of 300 years of 1450). Travel by train from Bologna to Milan of walking and standing in museums on this extravagant patronage by the Gonzaga dynasty for overnight accommodation. tour. Some of the walking is uphill or over (Mantegna’s frescoes in the Camera degli Sposi, cobbles. The coach cannot be used within the Day 9: Milan. The tour ends after breakfast, Pisanello frescoes, Rubens altarpiece). The town centres. Average distance by coach per independent onward journeys. palace is also significant as the site of the first day: 43 miles. performance of Monteverdi’s Orfeo (1607). Group size: between 12 and 22 participants. After free time for lunch, visit Palazzo Te, the Lecturer Gonzaga summer residence and the major This tour is designed in partnership with monument of Italian Mannerism, with lavish Professor Robert Adelson. Professor of Music Stringletter Media as a service to the readers frescoes by Giulio Romano. History and Organology at the Conservatoire of Strings, Classical Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Drum, and Ukulele. Day 6: Parma, Bologna. Parma is a beautiful de Nice. From 2005–16 he curated the city; the vast Palazzo della Pilotta houses collection of historical musical instruments an art gallery (Correggio, Parmigianino) in the Musée du Palais Lascaris. He has How to book and an important Renaissance theatre published widely; his latest book is The You can book online at www.martinrandall. (first proscenium arch). Visit the splendid History of the Erard Piano & Harp in Letters com or by telephone on 1 800 988 6168. Please Romanesque cathedral with illusionistic and Documents, 1785-1959. see the Booking Form for further information. frescoes of a tumultuous heavenly host by Correggio. Also by Correggio is a sophisticated Practicalities We accept payment in pound sterling (GBP) set of allegorical lunettes in grisaille only. Payments made from US credit cards will surrounding a celebration of Diana as the Price, per person. Two sharing: £3,760. be converted at the exchange rate set by the goddess of chastity and the hunt in the Camera Single occupancy: £4,280. card issuer on the day of payment. If you are di S. Paolo. Continue to Bologna, one of the paying by bank transfer, please instruct your most attractive of the larger cities in Italy, with Transatlantic flights are not included. bank to send payment in pound sterling (GBP). Renaissance arcades flanking the streets, for Included: travel by private coach; train travel the first of two nights. from Bolgna to Milan; hotel accommodation Day 7: Bologna. At the mediaeval heart of the as described below; breakfasts; 3 lunches and city are massive civic buildings and the vast 6 dinners with wine, water and coffee; all Gothic church of S. Petronio, with sculpture admissions; all tips for restaurant staff and by Jacopo della Quercia and two exceptional drivers; all taxes; the services of the lecturer organs that are both very mcuh preserved and tour manager. in their original condition: that of Lorenzo Opera tickets at La Scala, Milan. These are not di Giacomo da Prato (1470-1474) and that of currently included in the price of the tour. Once Baldassarre Malamini (1596). Visit S. Stefano, the programme of events is announced by the a complex of early mediaeval buildings. The opera house, we will provide details and prices. Museo della Musica houses a rich collection of scores, portraits and instruments. The Accommodation. Hotel Rosa Grand, Milan private collection of the late-Bolognese scholar (starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/rosa-grand- Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini, long-admired by milan): a smart 4-star hotel excellently located specialists, has recently been made available directly behind the Duomo. Rooms are well to the public. It is housed in one of Bologna’s appointed in a clean, modern style. Dellearti oldest churches and traces the history of Design Hotel, Cremona (dellearti.com): a keyboard instruments from the 16th to the 19th small, modern boutique hotel, conveniently centuries including over seventy functioning located just metres from Piazza del Duomo. clavichords, harpsichords, organs and pianos, Rooms are large and bright with modern some of which will be demonstarted. fittings.Hotel Commercianti, Bologna (art- hotel-commercianti.com): a traditional 4-star Day 8: Bologna. The famous food market hotel in the heart of Bologna. in Bologna sprawls through a maze of streets where shops and stalls display an Single rooms throughout are doubles for sole use. overwhelming array of fresh pasta, artisanal Additional nights at the hotels before or after mortadella, hams and salamis, cheeses, fresh the tour are available on request. fruit and vegetables, and an irresistible variety of bread and pastries. Led by a local expert, taste these products in some of the city’s historic food shops.