Observations on the Florid Song Part 10

[42] The _mark'd Divisions_ should be something like the _Staccato_ on the Violin, but not too much; against which a Caution will presently be given.

[43] The _Gliding Notes_ are like several Notes in one Stroke of the Bow on the Violin.

[44] The p.r.o.nouncing _Eror_ instead of _Error_; or _Dally_ instead of _Daly_. The not distinguishing; the double Consonants from the single, is an Error but too common at present.

[45] See for the _syncopated_, _Ligatura_, or _binding_ Notes, Pl. IV.

Numb. 10.

[46] _Madrigals_ are Pieces in several Parts; the last in Practice were about threescore Years ago; then the Opera's began to be in Vogue, and good Musick and the Knowledge of it began to decline.

[47] _Musica di Camera._ Chamber, or private, Musick; where the Mult.i.tude is not courted for Applause, but only the true Judges; and consists chiefly in _Cantata's_, _Duetto's_, &c. In the Recitative of _Cantata's_, our Author excelled in a singular Manner for the pathetick Expression of the Words.

[48] _Cortona_ liv'd above forty Years ago. _Balarini_, in Service at the Court of _Vienna_, much in Favour with the Emperor _Joseph_, who made him a Baron.

[49] See Broken Cadences, Pl. V. Numb. 1.

----Final Cadences, Pl. V. Numb. 2.

[50] _Motets_, or Anthems.

[51] The Proverb is, _Lingua_ Toscana _in bocca_ Romana.--This regards the different Dialects, in _Italy_; as _Neapolitan_, _Venetian_, _&c._ the same, in Comparison, _London_ to _York_, or _Somersetshire_.

[52] The Church-Musick in _Italy_ is all in _Latin_, except _Oratorio's_, which are Entertainments in their Churches. It is therefore necessary to have some Notion of the _Latin_ Tongue.

[53] The first Caution against imitating injudiciously the Instrumental with the Voice.

[54] The _Italians_ have a Saying, _Voce di Compositore_, to denote a bad or an indifferent Voice.

[55] _Cantabile_, the Tender, Pa.s.sionate, Pathetick; more Singing than _Allegro_, which is Lively, Brisk, Gay, and more in the executive Way.

[56] Suppose the first Part expressed Anger, and the second relented, and was to express Pity or Compa.s.sion, he must be angry again in the _Da Capo_. This often happens, and is very ridiculous if not done to a real Purpose, and that the Subject and Poetry require it.

[57] It is supposed, the Scholar is arrived to the Capacity of knowing Harmony and Counterpoint.

[58] The general dividing of _Airs_ described, to which the Author often refers.

[59] With due Deference to our Author, it may be feared, that the Affectation of Singing with Variety has conduced very much to the introducing a bad Taste.

[60] Continuation of the general dividing _Airs_ in -- 4. The End of this Section is a seasonable Corrective of the Rule prescribed in the foregoing fifth Section.

[61] _Rivani_, called _Ciecolino_, must have written some Treatise on Time, which is not come to us, therefore no further Account can be given of him.

[62] _Pistochi_ was very famous above fifty Years ago, and refined the Manner of singing in _Italy_, which was then a little crude. His Merit in this is acknowledged by all his Countrymen, contradicted by none.

Briefly, what is recounted of him, is, that when he first appeared to the World, and a Youth, he had a very fine treble Voice, admired and encouraged universally, but by a dissolute Life lost it, and his Fortune. Being reduced to the utmost Misery, he entered into the Service of a Composer, as a Copyist, where he made use of the Opportunity of learning the Rules of Composition, and became a good Proficient. After some Years, he recovered a little Glimpse of Voice, which by Time and Practice turned into a fine _Contr'Alto_. Having Experience on his Side, he took Care of it, and as Encouragement came again, he took the Opportunity of travelling all _Europe_ over, where hearing the different Manners and Tastes, he appropriated them to himself, and formed that agreeable Mixture, which he produced in _Italy_, where he was imitated and admired. He at last past many Years, when in an affluent Fortune, at the Court of _Ans.p.a.ch_, where he had a Stipend, and lived an agreeable easy Life; and at last retired to a Convent in _Italy_. It has been remark'd, that though several of his Disciples shewed the Improvement they had from him, yet others made an ill use of it, having not a little contributed to the Introduction of the _modern_ Taste.

[63] _Sifacio_, famous beyond any, for the most singular Beauty of his Voice. His Manner of Singing was remarkably plain, consisting particularly in the _Messa di Voce_, the putting forth his Voice, and the Expression.

There is an _Italian_ Saying, that an hundred Perfections are required in an excellent Singer, and he that hath a fine Voice has ninety-nine of them.

It is also certain, that as much as is allotted to Volubility and Tricks, so much is the Beauty of the Voice sacrificed; for the one cannot be done without Prejudice to the other.

_Sifacio_ got that Name from his acting the Part of _Syphax_ the first time he appeared on the Stage. He was in _England_ when famous, and belonged to King _James_ the Second's Chapel. After which he returned to _Italy_, continuing to be very much admired, but at last was waylaid, and murthered for his Indiscretion.

[64] _Buzzolini_, the Name known, but no Particulars of him.

[65] _Litigino_, in the Service of the Emperor _Joseph_, and a Scholar of _Pistochi_.

[66] _Signora Boschi_ was over in _England_ in Queen _Anne's_ Time; she sung one Season in the Opera's, returned to _Venice_, and left her Husband behind for several Years; he sung the Ba.s.s. She was a Mistress of Musick, but her Voice was on the Decay when she came here.

[67] _Santini_, afterwards _Signora Lotti_. She was famous above forty Years ago, and appeared at several Courts in _Germany_, where she was sent for; then retired to _Venice_, where she married _Signor Lotti_, Chapel-Master of St. _Mark_.

All these Singers, though they had a Talent particular to themselves, they could, however, sing in several sorts of Stile; on the contrary, one finds few, but what attempt nothing that is out of their Way. A modern Singer of the good Stile, being asked, whether such and such Compositions would not please at present in _Italy_? No doubt, said he, they would, but where are the Singers that can sing them?

[68] Those tremendous _Airs_ are called in _Italian_, _un Aria di Bravura_; which cannot perhaps be better translated into _English_, than a _Hectoring_ Song.

[69] _Pierre Simone Agostini_ lived about threescore Years ago. Several _Cantata's_ of his Composition are extant, some of them very difficult, not from the Number of _Divisions_ in the vocal Part, but from the Expression, and the surprising Incidents, and also the Execution of the Ba.s.ses. He seems to be the first that put Ba.s.ses with so much Vivacity; for _Charissimi_ before him composed with more Simplicity, tho' he is reckoned to be one of the first, who enlivened his Musick in the Movements of his Ba.s.ses. Of _Pierre-Simone_ nothing more is known but that he loved his Bottle, and when he had run up a Bill in some favourite Place, he composed a _Cantata_, and sent it to a certain Cardinal, who never failed sending him a fixed Sum, with which he paid off his Score.

[70] _Alessandro Stradella_ lived about _Pier. Simone's_ Time, or very little after. He was a most excellent Composer, superior in all Respects to the foregoing, and endowed with distinguishing personal Qualifications. It is reported, that his favourite Instrument was the Harp, with which he sometimes accompanied his Voice, which was agreeable. To hear such a Composer play on the Harp, must have been what we can have no Notion of, by what we now hear. He ended his Life fatally, for he was murthered. The Fact is thus related. Being at _Genoa_, a Place where the Ladies are allowed to live with more Freedom than in any other Part of _Italy_, _Stradella_ had the honour of being admitted into a n.o.ble Family, the Lady whereof was a great Lover of Musick. Her Brother, a wrong-headed Man, takes Umbrage at _Stradella's_ frequent Visits there, and forbids him going upon his Peril, which Order _Stradella_ obeys. The Lady's Husband not having seen _Stradella_ at his House for some Days, reproaches him with it. _Stradella_, for his Excuse, tells him his Brother-in-Law's Order, which the n.o.bleman is angry with, and charges him to continue his Visits as formerly; he had been there scarce three or four Times, but one Evening going Home, attended by a Servant and a Lanthorn, four Ruffians rushed out, the Lady's Brother one among them, and with _Stiletts_ or Daggers stabb'd him, and left him dead upon the Place. The people of _Genoa_ all in a Rage fought for the Murtherer, who was forced to fly, his Quality not being able to protect him. In another Account of him, this Particularity is mentioned; that the Murderers pursued him to _Rome_, and on Enquiry learned, that an _Oratorio_ of his Composition was to be performed that Evening; they went with an Intent to execute their Design, but were so moved with his Composition, that they rather chose to tell him his Danger, advised him to depart, and be upon his Guard. But, being pursued by others, he lost his Life. His Fate has been lamented by every Body, especially by those who knew his Merit, and none have thought him deserving so sad a Catastrophe.

[71] When _Tosi_ writ this, the Composers in Vogue were _Scarlatti_, _Bononcini_, _Gasparini_, _Mancini_, &c. The last and modern Stile has pretty well spread itself all over _Italy_, and begins to have a great Tendency to the same beyond the _Alps_, as he calls it.

[72] The _Moods_, here spoken of, our Author has not well explained. The Foundation he goes upon are the eight Church _Moods_. But his Meaning and Complaint is, that commonly the Compositions are in _C_, or in _A_, with their Transpositions, and that the others are not used or known.

But to particularise here what the _Moods_ are, and how to be used, is impossible, for that Branch only would require a large Treatise by itself.

[73] The _Airs_, sung in Unison with the Instruments, were invented in the _Venetian_ Opera's, to please the _Barcaroles_, who are their Watermen: and very often their Applause supports an Opera. The _Roman_ School always distinguished itself, and required Compositions of Study and Care. How it is now at _Rome_ is doubtful; but we do not hear that there are any _Corelli's_.

[74] _Maestro di Capella_, Master of the Chapel, the highest t.i.tle belonging to a Master of Musick. Even now the Singers in _Italy_ give the Composers of Opera's the t.i.tle of _Signior Maestro_ as a Mark of their Submission.

[75] _Contrapunto_, Counterpoint, or Note against Note, the first Rudiments of Composition.

[76] _Furlana_. A sort of Country Dance, or _Cheshire_-Round.

It is reported, that the Church-Musick in _Italy_, far from keeping that Majesty it ought, is vastly abused the other way; and some Singers have had the Impudence to have other Words put to favourite Opera _Airs_ and sung them in Churches. This Abuse is not new, for St. _Augustine_ complains of it; and _Palestrina_ prevented in his Time Musick from being banished the Churches.

[77] _Tono_, or _Mood_, and sometimes means the Key. Our Author in this Section is fond of a Pun, which cannot well be translated. _Tono_ is sometimes writ _Tuono_ and _Tuono_ signifies Thunder; therefore the Ignorant answers, he knows no other _Tuono_ but that which is preceded by Lightning.

[78] _Cadences_; or, princ.i.p.al Closes in _Airs_.

[79] For superior and inferior _Cadences_, see Pl. V. Numb. 3.

[80] Broken _Cadences_, see Example, Chap. V. -- 13, and its Note.

[81] _Cadences_ that fall a Fifth, with and without Words, Pl. V, Numb.

4 and 5.

[82] By the _Final Cadences_ here mentioned, the first is at the End of the first Part of the _Air_; the Second at the End of the second Part: and the Third at the end of the first Part when repeated again, or at the _Da Capo_, as it is always expressed in _Italian_.

[83] For the resolved and unresolved _Cadences_, see Pl. V. Numb. 6 and 7.