Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

SONG 561
With few exceptions Italian swigs are marked
in a greater or less degree by the same qualities.
The voice-part is ever paramount in them, and
all else is made to yield to it. The beautiful
quality and the wide compass of Italian voices,'
and the facility with which they execute difficult
vocal phrases, tempt the composer to write
brilliant and effective passages where a simple
melody would be far more appropriate to the
words. The words may indeed give the foi-m
to the song, and the music may substantially
agree with them, but we miss that delicate
subtle understanding between the poet and the
musician, where the music often interprets the
words, or a single word gives importance to a
note or passage. Again, the accompaniment
holds a very subordinate place. Its sole use is
to support the voice ; rarely has it any artistic
value of its own,^ and seldom, if ever, does it
assist in expressing the poetic intention of the
work.
It would be wrong, however, to apply these
criticisms without reserve to all modern Italian
composers. P. Tosti, for instance, knows how
to rise above the common defects of his countrymen
if he chooses ; he possesses a genuine lyrio
talent, and some of his melodies are charming.
Clever accompaniments also are met with in
the compositions of Marco Sala, Faooio, Bozzano,
Coronaro, and Smareglio. The last two have
paid especial attention to the words of their
songs. A cycle of songs, entitled La ' Simona,'
by Benedetto Junck, would have a high rank
assigned to them in any country ; and the
same can be said of Sgambati's beautiful songs,
with their highly developed accompaniments.
E. de Leva's, Enrico Bossi's, P. Tirindelli's,
and Rotoli's songs have merit ; and an interesting
new composer, Leone Sinigaglia, writes with
grace and originality, though his songs are
scarcely Italian in character, and he approaches
nearer to the German school of song-writers.
Amongst the works of the most celebrated
composers of modern Italy, such as Martucei,
Boito, Mancinelli, Oatalani, Mascagni, Leoncavallo,
Giordano, Franchetti, Puccini, and
Cilea, etc., the writer has searched in vain for
any mention of songs. It seems as if that
branch of music has not yet aroused the interest,
nor attained the rank, in Italy which are
accorded to it in other countries.
BiBLIOOBAPBY
Arteaga, 8, La. RivtHutione cUl teatro mu». ItaZ. Venice, 1785.
Orloff, G. Egaai gtw VhUtoire de la rmu. en Italie. Paris, 1822.
Lichtenthal, F. Dizitmt^to e Bibliog. deOa MuHca. Milan, 1826.
Von der Hagen, F. Die Minnesinger. Leipzig, 1838.
Dietz, F. Leben und Werke dea Troubadown.
Wolf, F. Ueber die Lata. Heidelberg, 1841.
Kieaewetter, E. Q. Schicksale und Betchagimheit des wettl. Gelanget.
Leipzig, 1841. Qeschichte der ISwrop.-abendZdnd. Muaik.
Leipzig, 1834.
i It is cutiouB to note how limited ia the compass of voice for
which modem Italian composers write songs Intended for circula.
tion in foreign countries, while the aongs tliey write for the homemarket
often exceed the compass of two octayes.
^ A point to he taken Into consideration as greatly impoverishing
and limiting the accompaniments is, that on a/Hiount of the
climate and the outdoor life the Italians lead, the guitar and
mandoline are as much used as the pianoforte.
VOL. IV
Amhros, W. GesdiicMe der Musik. Breslau, Leipzig, 1882-82.
Florimo, P. Cenno Storico mlla aeuola Mue. di Hapoli. Naples,
1869-71.
Naumann, E. Italieniacha Tondichter. Berlin, 1876.
Pfleiderer, R. Das itaZ, Yolk im Spiegel aetner Volkstieder. Leipzig,
,
Piti-6, G., e Salomone-Mardno, 8. Archivio per lo ttudio delle tradizianipop.
1879.
P^eimo, 1882, etc.
Busk, Rachel. The fblk-aonffa 0/ Italy. London, 1887.
Chilesotti, O. Sulla nt^odiapop. del Clnguteeento. Milan, 1869.
Parry, C. H. H. Mueic of the Seventeenth Century (Oxford Bistorj/
of Music, vol. ill.). Oxford, 1902.
The writer also owes her thanks to Signor Domenico Comparettl
for information on the folk-songs of Italy.
COLLECTIOHS
'
Florimo. F. •Eco dl NapoU.' NapoU, 1840-60.
Tommaseo, X. 'Canti pop. Toscani.' Venice, 1841-2.
Alveri. Andrea. ' Canti pop. tradizionali.' Vicenza, 1844.
Gordigiani, L. 'Coilezlone del Canti pop. toscani'; 'StomeUi
d' Arezzo ';' Eco dell' Amo,' etc. Milan. 1850.
Fea, L. A; 'Chants pop. de la Corse.' Paris, 1850.
Ricordi, G. 'Canti pop. lombardi.' 1857-1900.
Giamboni, A. 'Iveri Canti pop. di Firenze.' Milano, 1862.
Comparettl, I>. * Saggl del dialetti greci deir Italia merid.' Piaa,
1866.
Salomone-Marino, 8. 'Canti pop. Sicilian],' Paleimo, 1867.
Fenaro, G. * Canti pop. Monfenini.' Turin, 1870.
Casetti, A. 'Canti pop. delle provincle merid.' Rome, 1871-72.
Bortolini, ' Canzoni naz. delia Lagona.' Milan, 1873.
G.
Marchetti, F. ' Canti pop. Roraanescbi.' Milan, 1874.
Ive, A. ' Canti pop. Istriani.' Rome, 1877.
D' Ancona, A. ' Canti pop. Italiani.' Rome, 187^.
Gjaldini, G., e Ricordi, G. ' Eco delia Lombardia.' Milan, 1881-84.
DeMiglio, V. '50 Canzoni pop. Kapolitani.' Milan, 1882.
Finamoire, G. ' Canti pop. Abruzzesi.' Milan, 1882-94.
Tosti, F. P. ' Canti pop. Abruzzesi.' Milan. 1882.
Frontinj, F. ' Eco delia Sicilia.' Milan, 1883.
Sinigaglia, 0. ' Stomelli d' Amore.' Palermo, 1884.
Julia, A. 'Bad,' 'Ninne-Nanne.' Naples, 1884.
OrtoH, J. F. B. 'Lesvoceri del'llede Corse.' Paris, 1887.
Ni^, Const. ' Canti pop. del Piemonte.' Turin, 1888.
Parisotti, A. ' Le melodic pop. romane.' Borne.
Teschner, G. W. 'Sammlung italienischer Volkslieder.'
' Pargolesi, C. Eco del Friuli.' Trieste.
Pitr£, G. ' Canti pop. Siciliani.' Palei-mo,
'
1891 ; Bibliografla delle
'
Canti e melodic.' Torino,
Tradiz. Pop. d' Italia,' Parte 11.
Palermo. 1894.
Giannini, G.
' Canti pop. Lucchesi.' Lucca, 1890-92.
Saviotti, A. 'Canti e Ninne-Nanne Arpinati.' Palermo, 1891.
Switzerland
Although this country is bound together by
a strong national feeling, it contains gi'eat
diversities of idiom. More than half the
population speak German ; the rest either
French or Italian, and a small fraction Romansch
or Ladin. Hence there is little specifically
national music, as it generally resembles that
of the country to which it lies nearest. For
instance, the folk-songs on the southern side
are essentially Italian in character, while the
French-Swiss and German-Swiss folk-songs are
included in the collections of France and
Germany. A purely indigenous feature in
Swiss music is the cow- call, or Kuhreihen,
which has been already treated. (See Ranz
DES Vaches.') The old watchman-songs should
also be mentioned. These date back for
centuries, but are probably of German origin ;
as in the canton of Tessin, where Italian is the
common language spoken, the night watch-call
is still sung in Old German, Nearly all the
true Alpine songs can be played on the Alphorn,
to which in fact they owe their birth. The
Swiss peasants have always possessed a remarkable
harmonic aptitude. The herdsmen can
skilfully improvise songs in many parts, and
vary them with Jodels as ritornels or refrains.
In many of the dance-songs the rhythm, too, is
highly developed, necessitating constant changes
of time-signature. Otherwise the melodies,
like the poetry, are of the simplest character
in form and metre.
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