Scan 808
Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians Vol. 3, 1925
28 lines. Read by computer on 12 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 744. See the scan on archive.org.
1key, that of D major. His remarks upon the Tierce flute, giving Eb for C, and usually called the flute in F, and on the tenth piccolo in Eb unisonous with the clarinet in Eb alt, but commonly named piccolo in F, deserve careful study.
3(no line here) one of two readings
4W. H. S.
6PICCOLO VIOLINO ALLA FRANCESE. Among the thirty-six musical instruments employed by Claudio Monteverde in the orchestra of his opera 'Orfeo' (see p. 438), published in 1609, and reissued in 1615, the score includes, Piccoli Violini alla Francese. This title, written by an Italian, has caused a slight confusion as to the nationality of the violin proper, and at the same time given credence to a conjecture that the violin was a French invention. Naturally the correctness of the surmise rests upon the kind of instrument Monteverde intended to designate by the appellation Piccolo Violino. The directions given in the published score of 'Orfeo' indicate that the composer introduced several instruments into the orchestra solely for the purpose of imparting greater dramatic power and contrast than had hitherto been attained. Bearing this in mind,—also the facts that Monteverde was himself an Italian, that he lived in his native country where violins were being made by Gasparo da Salò more than forty years previous to the composition of 'Orfeo,' and that no French violin-maker or violinist is on record at this date,—it is more than probable that the Piccoli Violini alla Francese indicated, were none other than the POCHETTE (see that name, also KIT), which 17th-century French dandies and dancing-masters were accustomed to carry in their pockets to madrigal parties and lessons. —Heron-Allen, Violin-making as it was and is; Hart, The Violin; Dubourg, The Violin; L. Grillet, Les Ancêtres du Violon; Vidal, Les Instruments à archet; J. Hullah, The History of Modern Music. one of two readings
8PICCOLO VIOLINO ALLA FRANCESE. Among the thirty-six musical instruments employed by Claudio Monteverde in the orchestra of his opera 'Orfeo' (see p. 438), published in 1609, and reissued in 1615, the score includes, Piccoli Violini alla Francese. This title, written by an Italian, has caused a slight confusion as to the nationality of the violin proper, and at the same time given credence to a conjecture that the violin was a French invention. Naturally the correctness of the surmise rests upon the kind of instrument Monteverde intended to designate by the appellation Piccolo Violino. The directions given in the published score of 'Orfeo' indicate that the composer introduced several instruments into the orchestra solely for the purpose of imparting greater dramatic power and contrast than had hitherto been attained. Bearing this in mind,—also the facts that Monteverde was himself an Italian, that he lived in his native country where violins were being made by Gasparo da Salò more than forty years previous to the composition of 'Orfeo,' and that no French violin-maker or violinist is on record at this date,—it is more than probable that the Piccoli Violini alla Francese indicated, were none other than the POCHETTE (see that name, also KIT), which 17th-century French dandies and dancing-masters were accustomed to carry in their pockets to madrigal parties and lessons.—Heron-Allen, Violin-making as it was and is; Hart, The Violin; Dubourg, The Violin; L. Grillet, Les Ancêtres du Violon; Vidal, Les Instruments à archet; J. Hullah, The History of Modern Music. one of two readings
9E. H-A.
11PICCOLOMINI, MARIETTA, born 1834 at Siena, of the well-known Tuscan family. Being passionately fond of music she determined to become a public singer; and in spite of opposition from her family, studied under Signora Mazzarelli and Signor Pietro Romani, both of Florence, and made her début in 1852 at La Pergola as Lucrezia Borgia; she afterwards played at Rome, Siena, Bologna, etc., and in 1855 at the Carignan Theatre, Turin, as Violetta in 'La Traviata,' on its production there, and was highly successful. She made her début in London at Her Majesty's Theatre, May 24, 1856, in the same opera, then produced for the first time in England. She immediately became the fashion, partly on account of her charming little figure, and clever, realistic acting—especially in the last act, where she introduced a consumptive cough; and partly perhaps on account of the plot of the opera, which excited much indignation and a warm newspaper controversy.2 She next played Maria, in the 'Figlia,' and Norma, with fair success. Whatever might be the merits of her acting, of her singing there were many adverse opinions; for instance, Chorley writes, 'Her voice was weak and limited, a mezzo-soprano hardly one octave and a half in compass. She was not sure in her intonation, she had no execution…. Her best appearance was in "La Traviata."' He admits that Mlle. Piccolomini 'had the great gift of speaking Italian with a beautiful easy finished pronunciation, such as few have possessed, and so for a while she prevailed where less appetising pretenders to favour had failed.' She afterwards played at the Théâtre des Italiens, Paris. Mlle. Piccolomini reappeared for the seasons of 1857 and 1858 at Her Majesty's, and added to her repertory Adina ('L'Elisir') (described by Mr. Henry Morley3 as one of her best-acted parts), Zerlina and Susanna of Mozart; Arline in the Italian version of 'The Bohemian Girl'; Lucia, in 'Luisa Miller,' on the production of that opera, June 8, 1858; and 'La Serva Padrona' of Paisiello, July 5, 1858.4 She then went to America, and made a great success. In 1859 she played for a short time at Drury Lane with diminished effect, and for a few nights in 1860 at Her Majesty's, and took farewell of the stage, April 30, as Almina, in the second performance of a new opera of that name by Campana, and in a duet from 'I Martiri' with Giuglini. Soon after this she married the Marchese Gaetani della Fargia. She nevertheless returned to the stage for four nights in 1863, and generously gave her services in aid of the benefit organised at Drury Lane for her old manager Lumley, having travelled to England for that express purpose. A testimonial was set on foot for her in 1884, when she was reported to be in reduced circumstances (Daily News, March 21, 1884). She died in Florence in Dec. 1899. one of two readings
13PICCOLOMINI, MARIETTA, born 18341 at Siena, of the well-known Tuscan family. Being passionately fond of music she determined to become a public singer; and in spite of opposition from her family, studied under Signora Mazzarelli and Signor Pietro Romani, both of Florence, and made her début in 1852 at La Pergola as Lucrezia Borgia; she afterwards played at Rome, Siena, Bologna, etc., and in 1855 at the Carignan Theatre, Turin, as Violetta in 'La Traviata,' on its production there, and was highly successful. She made her début in London at Her Majesty's Theatre, May 24, 1856, in the same opera, then produced for the first time in England. She immediately became the fashion, partly on account of her charming little figure, and clever, realistic acting—especially in the last act, where she introduced a consumptive cough; and partly perhaps on account of the plot of the opera, which excited much indignation and a warm newspaper controversy.2 She next played Maria, in the 'Figlia,' and Norma, with fair success. Whatever might be the merits of her acting, of her singing there were many adverse opinions; for instance, Chorley writes, 'Her voice was weak and limited, a mezzo-soprano hardly one octave and a half in compass. She was not sure in her intonation, she had no execution…. Her best appearance was in "La Traviata."' He admits that Mlle. Piccolomini 'had the great gift of speaking Italian with a beautiful easy finished pronunciation, such as few have possessed, and so for a while she prevailed where less appetising pretenders to favour had failed.' She afterwards played at the Théâtre des Italiens, Paris. Mlle. Piccolomini reappeared for the seasons of 1857 and 1858 at Her Majesty's, and added to her repertory Adina ('L'Elisir') (described by Mr. Henry Morley3 as one of her best-acted parts), Zerlina and Susanna of Mozart; Arline in the Italian version of 'The Bohemian Girl'; Lucia, in 'Luisa Miller,' on the production of that opera, June 8, 1858; and 'La Serva Padrona' of Paisiello, July 5, 1858.4 She then went to America, and made a great success. In 1859 she played for a short time at Drury Lane with diminished effect, and for a few nights in 1860 at Her Majesty's, and took farewell of the stage, April 30, as Almina, in the second performance of a new opera of that name by Campana, and in a duet from 'I Martiri' with Giuglini. Soon after this she married the Marchese Gaetani della Fargia. She nevertheless returned to the stage for four nights in 1863, and generously gave her services in aid of the benefit organised at Drury Lane for her old manager Lumley, having travelled to England for that express purpose. A testimonial was set on foot for her in 1884, when she was reported to be in reduced circumstances (Daily News, March 21, 1884). She died in Florence in Dec. 1899. one of two readings
14A. C.
16PICHEL, or PICHL, WENZEL, good violinist and prolific composer, born Sept. 25, 1741, at Bechin, Tabor, Bohemia. Having received a good education, general and musical, he went to Prague to study philosophy and theology at the university, and counterpoint under Segert. Here he formed a friendship with Dittersdorf, who engaged him as first violin in the band of the Bishop of Grosswardein. Having spent two years as Musikdirector to Count Louisvon Hartig in Prague, he entered the orchestra of the Court Theatre at Vienna, and was sent thence, on the recommendation of the Empress, to Milan, as compositore di musica to the Archduke Ferdinand. He now took as much pains in perfecting himself by intercourse with Nardini, as he had
181 Pougin, Paloschi, and Mendel give 1836 as the date.
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212 The original play, 'La Dame aux Camélias,' was formerly forbidden on the English stage; but Mme. Modjeska played in a modified version at the Court Theatre in 1880, and it has been frequently given by Sarah Bernhardt, Eleanora Duse, and others.
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243 Recollections of an Old Playgoer.
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274 Having sung the music previously at Benedict's annual concert, June 21, at the same theatre.
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