by Salvatore Margarone-

By good Sicilian, the writer wants to tell and explain the personality of Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835) in a way different from the routine of the musical and historical criticism that you are used to read specialized magazines.

To date, in fact, when you read something about this composer it is said only the vicissitudes of his life or his work.
Ma Vincenzo Bellini, siciliano, It is not ordinary person, in the sense that the personality of a Sicilian is a collection of alchemy that arise and are rooted in the same land.

Land of sea, Sun, wind, and fire, these elements of nature that are found everywhere, or almost, but in Sicily differently than in other parts of Italy. Born in Sicily means having the fire that flows through your veins, fire that burns inside, which destabilizes everything daily, fire that gives joy and pain at the same time, virility and transience.

Fire from "a muntagna " (Etna), as well as call the Carpenter, and that's the same towards which every day looks North to understand how to behave ... If the steaming pan or is quiet.

So Bellini htook inspiration for his compositions, from that fire inside, from the clear sea water, from the breeze that caresses the University of Catania, by the scents that intoxicate the senses, from the wild broom sticking with arrogance from Etna lava rocks.

Yet, to date, rare were the performances of his works where they touch with hand the elements of nature that inspired Swan Carpenter; art more lyrical than dramatic, that of Bellini, from the melodic line pure and clear, stripped of extrinsic complexity, where the harmonies, counterpoints and instrumental effects have value only in terms of singing. That song that he loved and who knew how to put music in a unique, single and unrepeatable many recognizable, but not sugary, which is found in modern performances.

Bellini loved to walk for his city, through the streets of the historic center: Via Etnea, Piazza Duomo, Via Crociferi, Piazza Stesicoro, all related to his childhood. But Vincent loved the sea, in fact, often went to "Marina " (the Harbour), to breathe the air of the sea and watch its slow movement and waving, which inspired in her singable.

But be also means having full consciousness of death Sicilian, a world with which you face life in parallel, with fatality, just look at his lyrics, such as "Painful image of my Phyllis"or "Bella Nice, che d'amore" death that narrate, or as "The Pirate "Sicilian and rich subject of drama, pathetic situations.

Maybe all this prompted today's performers in distorting the personality even in the works themselves, which are done languidly, with slow, subdued, when instead it is precisely here that should emerge that fire that burns inside like lava, incandescent, broods "muntagna". Based on this assumption, in this writer's opinion, should be reviewed the Bellini's music literature, full of temper but at the same time of fatality.

© Salvatore Margarone

 

Photos by SICILIAIN.IT and AA. VV.