Publications

Agostino Agazzari, in his treatise Del sonare sopra’l basso (1607), divided instruments into two classes according to their role in the continuo body: instruments of ‘foundation’, which provide chordal support; and instruments of ‘ornamentation’, which play and ornament a single line. The theorbo was classified as an instrument appropriate for both roles, a double function that, due to the peculiarities of the instrument and the strong influence of Renaissance traditions, emerged as an idiomatic and multifarious accompanying style, more complicated and colourful than that of our modern conception, which is evident in seventeenth-century Italian intabulated continuo sources. Salamone Rossi’s Il primo libro de madrigali (1600), Girolamo Kapsberger’s Libro primo and Libro terzo di villanelle (1610 and 1619 respectively) and Libro primo di arie passeggiate (1612), Flamminio Corradi’s Le stravaganze d’amore (1616), and Bellerofonte Castaldi’s Capricci a due stromenti (1622) contain songs with intabulated continuo realizations that demonstrate primarily the foundation role of the theorbo, and reveal an accompanying style that depended more on the sonority of the instrument than on a theoretical basis: the number of voices in the accompaniment varies, the bass line and chord positions are frequently transposed downwards, and even faulty chord progressions with parallel motion and faulty inversions or problematical voice-leadings are occasionally allowed, all in order to get what sounds effecive on the instrument. These features are also evident in the tables of chordal realizations included in Kapsberger’s Libro terzo d’intavolatura di chitarone (1626) and New York, Public Library, Ms. JOC 93–2 (c.1680), which, together with Modena, Biblioteca Estense, Ms. Mus. G. 239 (c.1670), also demonstrate the ornamental function of the theorbo. The presence of collected linear, ornamental realizations over bass notes or sequences, which were intended to serve either as examples for imitation or as mnemonic models to be applied in an actual performance, reveal that ornamental improvisation was an essential element of theorbo accompaniment.

The collective volume of Evi Nika-Sampson aims primarily to clarify to first-year university students the peculiarities of the various branches of musicology and to offer fundamental knowledge in the first steps of their studies. Given that, the chapter offers basic knowledge for Medieval music, an overview of the development of the study of Medieval music with reference to important studies and researchers, the scientific methodology and the peculiarities of the subject in research fields, trends and applications, lists of important archives, collections and publications, and also includes annotated suggested literature.

In 1554, Giandominico Martoretta published his third personal collection of 24 madrigals. Each madrigal is dedicated to a prominent figure of his time while ten of them are coming from the upper class of Cyprus. Madrigal no. 9 is of particular interest as it bears two texts, one of which –although printed in Latin characters– is in Greek language and specifically in the Cypriot dialect (the other is in Italian). The poem used by Martoretta (‘O Pothos is dio chijli curellena’) is also found in an anonymous manuscript poetic anthology of the 16^th century, the existence of which has been known to scholars of Cypriot literature since the late 19^th century. As far as it is possible to tell, this particular poem is the first modern Greek text set in the western secular music. The paper explores the piece in historical, philological and musical terms. It displays remarkable madrigalisms, while each voice has two clefs and two keys offering the possibility two different readings of the same musical text (a due toni). Both versions are presented in modern notation in order to become accessible to scholars and musicians.

For the contemporary music-lovers, the name of Ferdinand Sor is inextricably intertwined with the guitar, as he was one of the most (if not the most) prominent guitar composers and performers of the first half of the 19th century. Because of this fact, the interest for the rest of his compositional work has been narrow. However, through the study of his vocal works as well as through the study of his life, emerges that the composer was inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. His belief in the ideals of freedom and self-determination of the nations arises during the Spanish Independence War (1808–1813) with the composition of “patriotic” songs. Several years later (1828/1829), touched by the dramatic developments of the Greek Revolution against the Ottomans, he composes and publishes a song for voice and piano entitled ‘Le dernier cri des Grecs’, a song that must have been in great regard by the composer, as he chose it to serve as an example of his work in Ledhuy’s Encyclopedie (1835). A further reference to the Greek Independence War appears in a later song (unknown until quite recently) for voice and guitar entitled ‘Appel des nègres aux Français’ (c.1832), which turns against the slavery of black people.

As well known, Mozart used the mandolin as an obligato instrument in the canzonetta ‘Deh, vieni alla finestra’ of the opera Don Giovanni. Given that as a starting point, but also taking into account the existence of two other songs by Mozart accompanied by the mandolin, these works are presented and analysed in the paper, the type of instrument for which Mozart composed is explored and the factors that probably prompted him to write for the mandolin are investigated (operas with obligato mandolin part like Paisiello’s that were performed in German-speaking countries and songs accompanied by the mandolin in France –which Mozart had visited). In addition, reference is made to Mozart’s contribution to the spread of the instrument in German-speaking areas, as composers such as Hummel and Beethoven composed later for the mandolin, but also to the timeless value of Don Giovanni‘s canzonetta.

The return to the principles and models of the ancient Greek and Roman world had a direct impact on the musical thought of the Italian Renaissance. As the complex, multi-layered texture of renaissance music made difficult the communication of the meaning of the text and was opposed to the simplicity and immediacy of ancient Greek monody, new means of expressing music were sought, in order to imitate the patterns of antiquity. Although the musical language did not experience fundamental changes, the result of humanistic thought has been the emergence of the solo song accompanied by one instrument, with the solo voice carrying the meaning of the words and the emotions behind them. The lute was the most favoured as the accompanying instrument because it symbolised the ancient Greek lyre but also because it provided the possibility of rendering polyphonic textures. As for the desired return to ancient models, the approach in these solo songs was more symbolic than reconstructive. However, through the renaissance symbolism the necessary conditions were created for the significant changes that took place in the musical structure with the pass to the seventeenth century. 

Among the stylistic changes that took place around 1600 in Italy is the conscious use of arpeggiating chords for the sake of diversifying the musical texture. Examination of the printed and manuscript sources of the time containing instructions for plucked strings clearly indicates that the arpeggios schemes depended on specific fingering sequences of the right hand. These fingerings were originally used to deliver specific arpeggios to specific chord positions. But from the moment they were introduced and established, when transferred to other positions or other instruments they produced other shapes of arpeggios creating thus an idiomatic style.

Editing and commentary on a Greek translation by D. Matzoris of the introduction from the Intavolatura di liuto e di chitarrone (Bologna, 1623) by Alessandro Piccinini, a remarkable source for scholars and performers of early Baroque music. The comments disambiguate certain terms and inaccuracies, answer questions raised by the text and cross-reference the content of Piccinini’s sayings with other sources.