Zingarelli's symphony. Allegro!

I just finished to transcribe the second time of the "Sinfonia funebre fugata" of Nicola Antonio Zingarelli (1752 - 1837). I played it with software Finale 2008, but I hope to conduct soon it with a real orchestra!!!! Is it possible??? =/

Zingarelli' s symphony. First time transcribed!

I finished the transcription of the first time of Zingarelli's symphony in a flat major. Is a "sinfonia funebre fugata" in two moviments: adagio and allegro. It's a tipical neapolitan symphony in which the pathetic elements are heightened. I published it on youtube, but the sound is not very good because I played it with Finale 2008.
I hope that sooner or later I'll find an orchestra and I'll conduct it!

 Do you like it?

Survive as a musicologist is possible???

My story is the story of a musician, (violinist, conductor, musicologist) that in Italy, today, has lost his dreams. This story is like a romance, full of any kind of characters that I decided to tell us, because the life of a musician is like a dream and the dreams are the soul of the world.
Now I'm transcribing a great symphony of Nicola Antonio Zingarelli (1752 - 1837). This work is part of a project of mine on Italian music of eighteenth and ninetheenth centuries. (www.700project.beepworld.it)

But this project is like a mission. The status of culture in Italy is catastrophic. There are no funds for classical music, concerts, theatre, orchestras and many institutions have serious problems of sussistence. The theatre of Genoa, the "Carlo Felice" was closed this winter and also giants like "San Carlo" of Naples or "Scala" of Milan, risk the same fate.
In this situation, base one's life on research in musicology or on classical music, is like a suicide!
I'm convinced that the music that I trancribe everyday is very very important and that is heritage of humanity. But no one support my works and now I must found an other work that give me the opportunity of earn money for living. And this means abandoning my research.
But from dreams sooner or later you have to wake up!.

Nicola Antonio Zingarelli

Nicola Antonio Zingarelli was born in Naples on April 4, 1752 by Riccardo and Teresa Ricci Toda Zingarelli. He had two brothers, also dedicated to music, and a sister. The christeninf of little Nicola was held in the church of S.Arcangelo all'Arena. He was admitted to the Conservatorio of Santa Maria di Loreto. He studied composition under the guidance of Padre Fenaroli and Alessandro Speranza, a pupil of Francesco Durante. His zeal in the study was that often, during the fall, he went on foot to the house of his teacher that wasn't near Neaples. Not only is devoted to musical studies, but he studied also humanea litterae. Later he leaving  in Torre Annunziata as a teacher of violin, an instrument that he never abandoned. He obtained the protection of the Duchess of Castelpagano, which is very committed to it to acquire fame. At 29 years old he composed the opera Montezuma, represented at the Teatro San Carlo of Naples in 1781. The work  was not very successful, but was very praised in Germany, receving the applause of Haydn. Following the fall of Montezuma, he could leave for Milan, where he began to compose works like Asinda at La Scala theatre in 1785, a work composed in seven days. Soon after wrote Romeo and Juliet, in just forty hours spread over ten days. In 1792 was maestro di cappella of the Cathedral of Milan.

In addition to this he began to give lessons in composition and had many students including Francesco Pollini, a talented piano virtuoso. From Milan came to the Holy House of Loreto in 1794. Here he remained for a decade writing sacred music, but he also continued to compose operas for various clients. For the Holy House of Loreto he wrote a monumental work: "L’annuale di Loreto" which is a collection of Masses for everyday. During Napoleon's campaign in Italy, Bonaparte went to Loreto in order to know Zingarelli personally. In 1804 was appointed maestro di cappella at St. Peter's, in Rome as the successor of Pietro Guglielmi. Occupied by the French, Zingarelli was required to perform the Ambrosian hymn to celebrate the birth of the son of Napoleon Bonaparte who had been given the title of King of Rome. Zingarelli said nothing in this order and that his silence was misinterpreted as consent to the order prescribed, prepared, then, all in St. Peter's, called, Zingarelli refused saying that he did not recognize another sovereign outside of Pope Pius VII from which he was hired as master of the papal chapel. He was then arrested and transported to Civitavecchia order of the chief of police of Rome, from there he was ordered to leave for Paris to be judged. Arriving in Paris, Napoleon's chaplain Cardinal Flesh, gave him four thousand francs for the trip. Once the court was not made any arrests, he was tried for the imperial orders violated, indeed, the emperor soon commissioned to Zingarelli write a mass for his Imperial Chapel, which does not exceed the duration of twenty minutes. In a short time the work was composed and so pleased to send to the emperor through his Grand Chamberlain a letter of thanks and a term of six thousand francs. 

Zingarelli was then in Paris for about a year, during which Napoleon made him a monthly award of two hundred francs. In 1812 he left France and in 1813 he was appointed as director of the S. Sebastiano Conservatory, then transferred to S. Pietro a Majella.  In 1835 he had an attack of dropsy. For this reason he went in Torre del Greco, near Neaples, a place famous for his good air. On May 5 he died. The body was transferred to Naples that same evening by Tito Angelini. The body was transported to the Conservatory where he held the funeral where he received the homage of the students moved and friends. The body was then buried in the church of San Domenico in Naples.In the following month of December, we celebrated a magnificent funeral in  Conservatory. The eulogy was played by his friend, the Marquis Basilio Puoti. The mass of requiem was the same that he wrote in view of his sad death and was executed by students of the Conservatory of Music. 

For his work was rewarded with several honors in life. The King of Saxony, on 26 January 1835, awarded him an honorary letter of thanks and the gift of a gold box for having composed a mass. Francis I, King of Naples, awarded him the Knight's Cross of the Order. It was an ordinary member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts “Pontaniana”. Ordinary member of the class IV 's Academy of Fine Arts in France. Corresponding with his medal, the Imperial Conservatory of Music in Paris.Correspondent of the V class of the historian in Paris. Maestro of the Congregation in Rome. Ordinary member of the Naples Philharmonic Society. He was maestro di cappella of the Cathedral of Naples. The Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin sent him a diploma.

The Secret of Nicolò Paganini

In this last years I wrote several articles on Paganini and especially on the so-colled "Paganini's Secret".

On this matter is investigated from about two undred years. His contemporary wrote about him: "He playing the violin in a very particula manner. For this reason, even the best violinist can understand how he is able to play like that...analyze his technique is impossible!" However, researches done on the testimonies on the time have allowed us to reconstruct his way of play. I studied this matter and especially his way of using the bow.
In 1854 Paganini's doctor, Francesco Bennati, wrote: "With that brain he could be a great composer, but without that subtlety of tact, without the particular disposition of the body, shoulders, arms and hands, he would never became the great Nicolò Paganini".
The thorax of the Genoese was slightly below to the average size, round shape and larger on the left than the right.

(to be continued...)

A day in the Conservatory of Music

Today I went to the Conservatory of Music of Naples "San Pietro a Majella". There is one of the most incredible and important libraries in the world! Here I found many intresting manuscripts. I'm working on several symphonies composed by authors such as: Paisiello, Cimarosa, Tritto, Jommelli and others.

I worked in "Sala Scarlatti", a great room in the library with an antique table in walnut and green leather. The libraries are high to the ceiling and the room smells of old papers. I think that's a magic place.
Now I'm trascribing Nicola Zingarelli's quartett for a concert of my quartett "L'Estro Armonico" and in the same time I'm working on the transcription of a Symphony of Pasquale Anfossi.
I hope that appeals to one of the many orchestras that I have proposed to direct my transcript.
How do you say? The hope is the last to day!
Ciao
Leopoldo Fontanarosa

A manuscript of Nicola Antonio Zingarelli

Dear friends,

 
      finally I found the time to write a new blog to tell you about my research and my concerts. 
In these days I’m engaged in important research on manuscripts of the last great composer of the Neapolitan school of the eighteenth century: Nicola Antonio Zingarelli. I'm transcribing some of his symphonies for orchestra. As you may recall, in May 2010, during the Week of Culture, I gave a lecture entitled: "Nicola Antonio Zingarelli: neapolitan music in the heart of Europe." 
On that occasion I outlined a bit 'the figure of this great composer, teacher of Vincenzo Bellini and Saverio Mercadante, now almost completely forgotten. 

Zingarelli was born in Naples on April 4, 1752 and died in Torre del Greco, near Neaples on May 5, 1837. Despite the miserable social conditions from which he came, Zingarelli was able to make their way in a short time. In 1781 he put on stage at the San Carlo theatre in Naples, his first opera, Montezuma. He was “maestro di cappella” of Milan Cathedral and then come to the Sanctuary of the Holy House of Loreto, where he spent ten years writing 564 sacred works. Leaving Loreto moved to Rome and became Kapellmeister of Pope Pius VII.

Happened here one of the most incredible episodes of his long life. It was 1811.Napoleon occupied Rome with his army when he was born his son, Napoleon II, who gave him the title King of Rome. Zingarelli, choirmaster, was chosen to write a Te Deum in honor of the newborn infant, but the Neapolitan composer patriotically refused to follow orders, replying that he recognized as King of Rome only the Pope Pius VII, in exile. The composer was arrested and sent to France to be tried by the Emperor. But when arrived, he wasn’t executed, but he was commissioned a Mass for which he obtained a considerable sum of money.

 Zingarelli was extremely prolific author. But today his work is not represented, nor any of his music performed in theaters and concert halls. 

For years I have been a rehabilitation project of his music. These days I had the opportunity to rediscover in the library of the Conservatory of Music in Naples “San Pietro a Majella ", the autograph of one of his last works, a funeral symphony who composed in Torre del Greco a few months before his death, perhaps with the intention that it was played to his funeral. 
It is moving to see the handwriting of this old composer, which marks the notes in an increasingly uncertain, as if the life, about to go out, no longer able to write the notes written during his long journey. This score has never been performed, nor for the death of Zingarelli, nor after. 
I hope, a transcript is over, to find soon an orchestra that wants to play this music under my direction! 
From Rome's all for now!

Leopoldo Fontanarosa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_op05gJOPE