Vincenzo Bellini: the Spanish manuscript de “The Pirate” – On the day of commemoration, an article about the Spanish find –

By Natalia Di Bartolo-

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Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835), musical genius, was generated and nurtured in the early years by the generous land of Sicily. It occurs today, September 23, 2015 the 180 anniversary of his death.

Born in Catania on 3 November 1801, ibid., still very young, he began his musical education; Li went on to Naples to “The Royal College of music” San Sebastiano, s. Pietro a Majella Conservatory today (1819). Among his teachers was Niccolò Antonio Zingarelli, who directed him towards the study of the classics.

One of the first compositions of the Sicilian musician, in the time of the first youth, you encounter works of sacred music, some symphonies and some Arias for voice and orchestra, including the famous “Sore image”, now known for subsequent adaptations for voice and piano.

In 1825, the Neapolitan Conservatory Theatre “Adelson e Salvini”, his first work, as final work of composition. Only a year later with “Bianca e Fernando”, came the first big and unexpected success. For the sake of similarity with the name of Prince Ferdinand de Bourbon, censorship forced the musician before the performance at the teatro di San Carlo in Naples, just change the title in “Bianca e Gernando”.

In 1827 he was commissioned to write an opera to be represented at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Bellini left Naples and also Magdalene Fumaroli, his first great love. Since then many of the most beautiful, famous and charming ladies of her time, including the soprano Maria Malibran, would remain the victims of its charm Baker and his light blue eyes.

In Milan went on stage “The pirate” (1827) and “La straniera” (1829) getting resounding successes. “Zaira” in 1829, represented in Parma, he was less successful and later works the most successful were those written again to the public in Milan: “La sonnambula” (1831) and “Norma” (1831).

During the same period he also composed two operas for the teatro La Fenice in Venice: “I Capuleti e i Montecchi” (1830), for which he adapted part of music written for “Zaira”; and the little lucky but beautiful “Beatrice di Tenda” (1833).

The turning point in his career as in his artistic evolution coincided with his move to Paris. Here he came into contact with some of Europe's greatest composers, including Frédéric Chopin.

In Paris he composed numerous Chamber romance of great interest, some of which are in French, but mostly wrote in 1835, the year of his death, to the Théâtre-Italien of Paris opera “The Puritans”that was a great success.

But unfortunately fate was cruel to the genius Sicilian: left by friends in mysterious solitude in his last days, died at the age of 34 years, panned, she told herself, from an intestinal infection; There was talk of a poisoning. His death remains shrouded in mystery.

He was buried near Chopin and cherubs in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, where his body remained for over forty years.

Catania, his hometown, finally claimed and Paris gave it. During the various stages that marked the return home, the coffin of the composer was welcomed everywhere with warmth and emotion.

Reached finally in his hometown, were celebrated the solemn funeral, attended by thousands of locals, some relatives of the composer (including two brothers still alive), and a large representation of civil, military and religious authorities.

Non credea mirarti "Ah yes soon extinguished or flower," read, from the booklet of "La Sonnambula" on his tomb in his hometown and humanly it is true, if you think that the composer was also renowned for her beauty.

But maybe just vale that citizens have reported with great pomp in his homeland, returning to his land, though he is now in danger of not being adequately remembered and celebrated.

Among the great composers of Opera, in fact, is the least represented, unless exceptions concerning "standard", "La Sonnambula" and "the Puritans". The rest of his repertoire is rarely staged, wrongly defined "abstruse," repetitive ", sometimes even" naïve ", difficult to perform, however arduous and vocally on the stages of voices now untraceable destined world.

But the art never forgets: the aforementioned fate, that of large, is to be immortal. And so it was that Bellini and his music made news again when one day in September of 2013, next always at the anniversary of his death, he took over a communiqué from Madrid from the National Library of Spain, in which he showed how it was found in an unpublished musical manuscript of our author.

After a few year and fair on the occasion of the anniversary of the death of genius Carpenter, means express precisely this discovery considerations here.

Beyond the surprise and joy for the event, was then wonders why this had happened in Spain and to which collector had belonged the album of the 19th century, illustrated by photographs and drawings of Sicily and Malta, which concealed the precious paper. In any case, Spanish scholars use since a discovery which will be studied and evaluated, but which is still relevant, especially from a musicological and historical point of view.

The author is not hand side lettering because figure be as a cataloging of the find in a library. The presence of the names of the brothers of the musician is still unique and will surely deepened.

The manuscript is connected to the Opera "Il Pirata", on whose Genesis due to the correspondence of Vincenzo Bellini lacking at this point, little is known.

The libretto was adapted from Isidore mélodrame j.s. Taylor "Bertram, ou le Pirate", performed in Paris in November 1826, itself inspired by the tragedy in five acts "Bertram, or The Castle of St. Aldobrand (1816)-Charles Maturin.

The premiere of the Opera, supported by a cast of great importance, which included the famous tenor Giovanni Battista Rubini, who specializes in the high register and SIFF writes, in the role of Gualtiero, and as Imogene the dramatic soprano of agility Henriette Méric Lalande, was a resounding success. The baritone Antonio Tamburini, equally famous and renowned interpreter, joined them and to him was given the part of Ernesto, which includes such previously unheard found in the archives of Spain.

Examining specifically the precious document found in Madrid, what is striking, apart from the existence of the old man dressed in the first bar of the staff at the top and the "afterthought" or dual option in the second, is the line below, which also reports the words of the book of Romans.

We are located on the second Act and it's "Tu m ' you opened in cor wound" (The major/f minor/f major), Time of attack of the scene and Duet between Imogen (soprano) and Ernesto (baritone), which immediately follows the recitative "Stop, I always run" – Allegro; precedes the cantabile "Ah! I feel it soon dissolved "– Larghetto (f major); follows with time (recovery time) That go? – Allegro moderato (c major) and prelude to the cabaletta "Ah! flee, ruthless, the fatal encounter "– Allegro assai (a major), proving, once again, the agility required to soprano protagonist.

The manuscript, therefore, concerns one of the phrases of the baritone and precisely the phrase that bears the words "unholy mother – mal tu celi a blind amor", which are part of the beginning of the Duet. These verses of Romans:

(…) "Tu m ' you opened in my heart hurt

your more bloody.

Unholy mother, sinful bride

Mal tu celi a blind love. (…)”

Therefore, not a variation of composed Cadence on verses of the librettist for soprano or tenor, as would have been more usual, but for the baritone, vocals are usually not particularly targeted to embellishments and agility, compared to the tenor and soprano. But Badawi was Bellini ...

Mentioning the presence of Tamburini (1800-1876) in the premiere cast of the Scaligeri, then, is not of marginal importance. The soloist, "basso cantante" as was called, now loosely defined "bass baritone", in fact, was idolized by the public and critics to surrender and vocal technique, for the quality of his voice, brunette but very agile, for his stage presence, as well as for its pleasant appearance.

It goes without saying that trovandoselo happily in the cast, Bellini wrote the part of Ernesto adapting it to your voice. It was quite normal that is the case, in fact it was almost a practice which the authors of Opera, Bellini including "models", they wrote very precise bearing in mind; then the part of Ernesto, according to many scholars, was written especially for the Ta.

This explains a particular important in sheet found in Madrid: the staves written not bearing the accompaniment, are only those intended for the singer and the notes have characteristics that require considerable vocal agility. Variations of cadences, so that the voice of the great Drummers allowed? Or change to some other equally baritone vocally gifted?

Of course the study of the manuscript continues by eminent scholars, that will provide answers to many questions, but the fact that it has been found a variation of fist of the author, in itself is no exception, with the genesis of the work, which at first had a final and that soon after he had another and in which, after the performance of Verona even it was to reverse the scenes between soprano and tenor.

The official communication from Spain of the discovery of the manuscript stated that significant variations not found page went from version "definitive."

At the time, the singers had a habit (and quirky) to "choose" the cadences of those created by the composer, which specially, at times, as well as write it directly as before mentioned, altered and changed their music to enhance the qualities of this or that singer. They also had the "defect" to "invent" the cadences appropriate for your most famous singers and they entered the vocal tradition, were transcribed and were performed by other singers. For this reason it is difficult to stigmatize as definitive certain parts of a run, especially when the musical phrases lend themselves to make room for individual "choices". There are even published collections of cadences more used, created or handed down by this or that singer and his name adopted by singers and conductors and recognized even today in the execution by professionals.

There is, therefore, still a lot more to verify, with regard to the said statement of Spanish sources, not least because the story of an artwork is not only based on score used for the first performance or immediately following (already subject to significant changes, like the ending in this case), but it has to be inserted in a context much larger replicas, darts, contemporary representations of the author and whatnot , the score of which he could intervene personally.

Regarding what de "Il Pirata" scaligero or just beyond, staged nowadays, you listen and you will hear on stage, we can only hope for the seriousness and good faith of philological conductors, singers and desirable qualities, from now on, the execution, by any of them, even the Spanish "variations autograph". The performers, no longer as in the past, they don't have much say in the matter concerning variations to choose from in accordance with conductors, unless they are of sacred cows.

For music lovers, listening suggestions recorded Opera, as up to now has been handed down, are not numerous, but can be placed in various periods, taking into account the different "versions" that invariably occur, the capabilities of the singers and especially the years in which the recordings were performed.

It is essential, for choice, consider the propensity or not the listener's preferences for the "Storm" show business information of the years ' 50, who procured sometimes arbitrary cuts and additions to scores, but also large executions; check with the directors ' 60-' 70 trusted philologically, encountering though interpreters very gifted but out role for Bellini; consider positive or less the directorial exclusivism and interpretive framework that threatened to overwhelm Bellini and his opera production in the years ' 70-' 80 and that, in the opinion of the writer, he's got some sort of ill-concealed monopolisation that well did the great writer Caroline and his music. In this field, therefore, prevail the personal taste of each, although it is hoped a move of the listener towards the resumption of absolute rigor that characterizes the best philological taste of our days and therefore also the desirable registrations yet to come, always including the variation "Spanish".

But then, also in the light of this finding, it is natural to wonder what really is the "final" score "Il Pirata", that is the position that it would be advisable to perform in theatre and record.

In the opinion of the writer, in this, as in many other works, both by Bellini and other authors, there is no "final score", but several original scores. On this wave of thought, we may never know what was the musical phrase chosen by the author in the beginning of the baritone Duet ... but why did not know either Bellini; the music was for him, as for all genes of his peers, living matter, supple, malleable, subject to second-guessing, cuts, embellishments, changes. As well as many other, opera "open", so, even "the pirate", within the limitations of absolute respect philological authenticity of its versions.

Welcome, then, from Spain, if carried into vogue in theater, yet another variation of the author's fist, which traces the beginning of the furrow of a deserved and renewed interest in Bellini's operatic production Assembly, mentioned here, in particular, on the occasion of the 180 anniversary of the death of the genius Carpenter.

© Natalia Dantas

PHOTO © NATALIA DANTAS, AA. VV.