who formerly was a dilettant merely, but now as a younger son without
means, is become an artiste, and as such strives to earn a subsistence.
The opera pleased me very much, but without being altogether
particularly attractive for me. The style is even and dignified,
but the orchestra is too much overladen, and the voice parts are too
much obscured. The execution was very precise, both on the part of
the singers and of the orchestra. The latter, under the correct and
spirited but somewhat too loud direction of Signor _Festa_, had studied
it well, but were somewhat wanting in _nuances_ of _piano_ and _forte_;
the wind instruments in particular are always too loud in the _piano_.
Of the singers nothing further can be said than that they have good
and powerful voices. Whether they have a good execution cannot be
ascertained in this theatre; for one hears them either singing at the
top of their voices, or one cannot hear them at all. After the opera
_Duport’s_ ballet of “Cinderella” was given, the decorations, costumes,
&c., of which were of a very expensive character. Besides _Duport_ and
his wife, the dancer _Vestris_ attracted much notice. The music was
nearly the same as that we heard in Vienna in that ballet; a polonaise
newly introduced by Count _Gallenberg_, the ballet-composer here,
pleased greatly from its originality and sweetness.
Another opera, also by a dilettant, Signor _Carlo Saccenti_, was given
a week ago, after a three months’ study and rehearsal. The king, who
is a great patron of the composer, had fixed on it for the opening
of the San Carlo theatre, and _Mayer_, who had been sent for here by
the impresario, to write a new opera for the occasion, was obliged
to keep his back. But as it was afterwards found that it would be
impossible to be perfect in it by the day appointed for the opening,
_Mayer_ was permitted to write a Cantata in all haste, with which
on the 12th January the theatre was at length opened. This cantata,
though written with great despatch, is said nevertheless, according
to the opinion of connoisseurs to contain a good deal of fine music;
but as the text or subject was the burning of the theatre, one little
calculated for composition, it could not well have been other than a
somewhat tame production. Nor could it be expected, with the little
attention given to it by the public, more occupied with the brilliant
illumination of the house and the splendour and Spanish etiquette which
the court displayed at the opening of the theatre, that the reception
given by the public to the cantata should have been other than a very
cold one. Nevertheless, it was not properly speaking a failure. After
this had been brought out, the study of _Saccenti’s_ opera was again
resumed. All that reached the public concerning these rehearsals was
very unfavourable. His friends said he had composed a work which from
its originality and excellence would produce a complete reform in
operatic compositions: the singers and musicians, on the other hand,
said that in all their lives they had never sung or played anything
more villanous, tedious and incorrect than that unfortunate opera. The
impartial conjectured that, as is usual with such conflicting opinions,
the truth would lie in the mean; but I soon satisfied myself, after
a few rehearsals which I attended, that the musicians were perfectly
right in the judgment they had formed of it. It would indeed be
scarcely possible to put together a more outrageous piece of music,
even if one strove expressly, and with the greatest industry to act
contrary to all the most approved rules of rhythm, structure of the
periods, harmony and instrumentation. There was no trace of song or
sensible carrying out of an idea; every third bar was something else,
with the most incorrect modulations. In the very beginning of the
introduction three ugly quints follow each other in quick succession.
One of the musicians from recollection said that the composer justified
it very ingeniously with the example of the English sailor who was
brought before a magistrate for having married three wives, but whom
the law could not reach as it forbade bigamy only, and made no mention
of trigamy; in the same manner, said the composer, it is forbidden to
have _two_ quints in succession, but by having _three_ the penalty
contemplated by the law was evaded.
After rehearsals innumerable, the representation took place in the
presence of the court and with a crowded house. Notwithstanding the
here prevailing formal Spanish etiquette, which commands that the
curtain shall be drawn up immediately the king enters the box and
which constrains the poor singers to exhibit themselves on the stage
during the whole duration of the overture, without being able to move
in the spirit of the characters they impersonate; and which moreover
forbids every demonstration of applause or of disapprobation; despite
this constraint, which impedes free judgment, the opera was hissed in
_optima forma_. On the following night it had the same fate, without
a single friend of the composer’s daring to clap a hand. With this
second representation, at which I was present, the opera was for ever
consigned to the tomb. It is called “Aganadeca;” its author is Signor
_Vincenzio de Ritis_. The subject, from _Ossian_, is said not to be
without merit, and it is regretted that it did not fall into the hands
of a better composer. The latter, however is not sensible of his own
deficiency; he ascribes its failure to the little musical judgment of
the Neapolitan public, and intends sending his work to Germany. May
Apollo and the muses bestow their blessings upon it!
February 20.
The Carneval came to a close yesterday, and the fasts have begun.
After the noise of the last day of the carneval, the quiet which has
now succeeded does one really good, although the evenings are somewhat
dull, as all the theatres are closed for four days. At the St. Carlo
theatre instead of the customary oratorios this year operas will be
given as usual, but without ballets, which are wholly forbidden at this
season. At the _Fiorentino_ theatre we saw an opera of _Guglielmi_
(son), “_Paolo e Virgina_,” which met with some success. But the music
of the third act is quite Italian for insipidity, in which _Paul_,
during a storm at sea, sings an air in the usual form, and with the
usual insipid intermediate acting, exhausting himself in shakes and
passages, when he would act much more sensibly if he hastened to the
assistance of his loved one. This sea-storm without an appropriate
music was therefore the most ridiculous thing I ever saw at a theatre,
and solicited no sympathy for the whole affair from the spectators. It
is true the machinery also at this theatre was most mean and childish.
Among the singers Mesdames _Chabran_ and _Canonici_ distinguished
themselves greatly. The former has a fine soprano voice, great ease
of execution and a good school; the latter the same qualifications
with a powerful contralto voice. They had particularly well studied
their duets. In this theatre we found for the first time in Italy,
with a full house and a frequently repeated performance, a quiet and
sympathetic audience. The house is roomy and prettily decorated, but
the stage very small and narrow.
I had expected the end of the carneval to have been far more gay than
I found it. The whole amusement consisted in the crowding together
of half Naples, masked and unmasked, in vehicles and on foot in the
street of Toledo, where they moved up and down and pelted each other
with little balls of gypsum. The masks of the carriages were provided
for the purpose with whole baskets full of these little bullets, and
with shovels, so as to enable them to throw them up to the balconies.
They carried tin shields on the left arm, with which to ward off the
missiles of other maskers. As these were frequently of a tolerable size
and were thrown with full force, the fun frequently proved somewhat
rough for those persons who were not masked, and many a lady must
doubtless have taken home with her a few blue marks on her neck and
arm. Nevertheless all was borne with good humour and without dispute,
as the liberty conferred by the mask serves to excuse all impoliteness.
The masqued balls at the San Carlo theatre are said to have been
somewhat wearisome affairs; although there was no want of masks in
character, yet there was very little wit and ability to personate the
characters in accordance with the costume and manners of the period.
February 26.
I have been twice to the conservatory of music. The first time I
was present at a practice concert of the pupils, in which several
overtures, or first themes of symphony composed by one of them, who
at the same is first violin also, were tried. They were not devoid
of fancy, but in form and instrumentation complete imitations of
the overtures of _Rossini_, which certainly are not calculated to
serve as models. The execution was but tolerable; the young folks,
particularly the violinists, have no school at all; they know neither
how they should hold the violin nor the bow, and play neither purely
nor distinctly. Nor can it be otherwise with the bad instruction they
receive. _Festa_, the only violinist here of a good school, is not
employed in the conservatory of music. It is highly reprehensible
that the young people are permitted to give their practise-concerts
without the superintendence and guidance of their instructors; their
first violin and director, who is himself still a pupil, is wholly
wanting in self possession and judgment. He bungles the allegro tempi
in such a manner that all distinctness is out of the question. Among
the wind instruments, a hornist, a lad of eleven years of age, is
very remarkable. On the occasion of the second concert at which I
was present, two singers made their appearance, who had neither good
voices nor a good method. All that I have yet heard, is far inferior
to what the Milan musical students can perform. Signor _Zingarelli_,
director of the conservatory here, and teacher of the theory of music
and singing may possess many qualifications as a composer of operas;
but it is generally said that since his appointment the conservatory
has very much declined. That he at least does not know how an orchestra
should be conducted or a symphony executed, he proves by allowing so
quietly these things to take place in his presence. Of the merits of
our German composers he has some very erroneous notions. One day, when
I paid him a visit, he spoke for a long time of _Haydn_ and other of
our composers with great respect, but without even once mentioning
_Mozart_; I therefore turned the conversation upon the latter, upon
which he said: “Yes, he also was not deficient in talent, but he lived
too short a time to cultivate it in a proper manner; if he could only
have continued to study ten years longer, he would then have been able
to write something good.”!
March 3.
An opera has been again put on the stage written by _Mayer_ several
years ago. It is called “_Cora_” and is founded on the same subject
as _Kotzebue’s_ “Sonnenjungfrau” (Virgin of the Sun). There are
certainly some fine passages in the music, but taken as a whole it
has not satisfied my expectations of _Mayer’s_ music. He is after all
deeply tinctured with the Italian manner and almost wholly an apostate
from the German. His method of carrying out the vocalisation and his
instrumentation are thoroughly Italian. This certainly is not to be
wondered at, for since the age of fourteen he has lived in Italy, and
never wrote for any other than Italian audiences. I think, that apart
from his natural talent, he has raised himself above the others alone
by having always endeavoured to procure all the best German works,
which he studied, and made use of, the latter indeed sometimes a little
too much. Throughout Italy, and here in particular, he is very much
admired and liked: he merits it also in every respect, and as a man is
ever the upright, smooth-spoken unassuming German. He is much attached
to his fatherland, and seems only to regret that it was not his fate
to pursue his career as a composer in Germany. In Bergamo, where he is
director of the orchestra, he now only desires to live in retirement,
and write solely for his church. He assured me that nothing but the
honour of writing for the reopening of the San Carlo theatre could have
induced him to leave his retreat once more, but that the opera “La
vendetta di Junone,” which he had now completed, should certainly be
his last work for the theatre. In “Cora” the favorite piece with the
public is the finale, consisting of a theme in three variations in the
old style of _Pleyel_; one of the singers sings the theme, _Davide_
the first variation in quavers, then _Nozzari_ the second in triplets,
and in conclusion la _Colbran_ the third in semiquavers. As it is well
sung, it greatly pleases the public, and critics therefore must be
silent.
March 6.
Last evening Signor _Pio Chianchettino_ gave a concert in the _Fondo_
theatre. He is a nephew and pupil of _Dussek_, and played two concertos
of that master in his manner. Although his play was pure, distinct
and even full of expression, yet here again, as every-where else, the
piano-forte as concert-instrument proved itself insufficient to awaken
the enthusiasm of an audience; and the more so is this the greater
the size of the place. For that reason also upon this occasion, the
song-pieces pleased far more than the concertos, although no one could
find fault with his play. I myself felt this also; for although I
am very fond of the piano, when a composer rich in ideas improvises
upon it, yet as concert-instrument I am wholly unmoved by it; and a
piano-forte-concerto in my opinion is only effective when written like
those of _Mozart_, in which the piano is not much more thought of than
any other orchestral instrument. The singers, Madame _Chabran_ and
the Signori _Davide_, _Nozzari_ and _Benedetti_, all distinguished
themselves, and were loudly applauded. One becomes more sensible of
their merits when one hears them in a smaller place than the San Carlo
theatre. _Davide_ and _Nozzari_ may be called almost perfect singers,
they both have very fine voices; the former a very high tenor, the
latter a high baritone, remarkable fluency of execution and much true
expression. _Benedetti_ has a very fine bass voice, but sings rather
coldly.
March 7.
We have again taken some rather more distant and highly interesting
walks. The object of one was the Camaldula convent, which is situated
upon a hill above two hours’ drive from the centre of the city. We
rode as far as the foot of the mountain, where as the carriage road
terminated, we were obliged to make the ascent on foot. The view from
the convent garden is perhaps one of the most extensive and beautiful
in the world. On one side are seen Ischia, Capri, Procida, Nisida and
the promontories which we had visited in our previous excursion,
accompanied by the blue mirror of the sea; on the opposite side Capua,
Caserta, and in the back-ground the snow-covered mountains; on the side
of Naples a part of the city itself, the whole bay with the opposite
coast, and on the left the smoke-emitting Vesuvius; lastly, on the
fourth side, the shores and salient promontories near Gaëta, as far
as Terracina. As the weather was very propitious for us, this was one
of the most magnificent days we ever passed in the enjoyment of the
beauties of nature. The monks, some of whom we caught sight of, did not
appear in the same humour as we were; for they all wore a gloomy aspect.
We took a shorter but not less interesting walk on the new road to
Rome, which was begun under _Murat_, but has remained unfinished since
his dethronement. It leads over a mountain from which one has the most
admirable view of the city, and it is much to be regretted that it
is not complete; for then the traveller would be able to form a more
worthy conception of the city before his entry into Naples, while now
by the old road, which winds through a narrow mountain ravine, he
sees nothing of Naples until he has entered the most dirty and least
attractive part of the city; which leaves him long in doubt whether he
actually is in the world-famed Naples.
We passed a very pleasant day at the villa of the banker _Heigelin_,
which is situated also upon a mountain near the _Strada Nuova_, whence
one has a beautiful view. Old _Heigelin_, an amiable, open-hearted
German, has ornamented this place of his own creation with so many fine
things, such as grottoes, ruins, temples, fountains, &c. &c., that it
would be actually impossible to crowd any thing more together in so
small a space. Although perhaps the whole is somewhat frivolous as
regards the manner in which it is laid out, it has nevertheless many
individual things worthy of attention. For us Northerns, for instance,
the vast number of exotic plants, which were for the most part in full
bloom, were objects of great interest.
March 11.
Last evening our concert took place. As the impressario of the court
theatres, _Barbaja_, an extremely selfish man, asked me too much
money for the hire of the theatres, for the _Fondo_ for instance 100
Neapolitan ducats and for the _San Carlo_ 200 even, I adopted his
proposal rather to give my concert in the assembly-room of the San
Carlo theatre, which he offered me lit up for nothing. This apparently
disinterested offer was nevertheless calculated also for his advantage,
for the assembly-room and the adjoining rooms were the places for the
hazard-tables, which he had rented, and to which by means of my concert
he hoped to attract the most fashionable and wealthiest company of the
city. This use of my concert, which could in no way prejudice me, I
could readily allow him. As the saloon is not very spacious, I fixed
the price of admission, as at Rome, at one piaster, and although I had
not a more numerous, yet I had a more susceptible public than there.
Encouraged by this and supported most efficiently by the very accurate
accompaniment under _Festa’s_ direction, as well as by the room itself,
which was so advantageous for my instrument, I played better than I
had done in many other towns in Italy. Besides my compositions a duet
by _Mayer_ and a terzet of _Cherubini_ were sung by Signore _Davide_,
_Nozzari_ and _Benedetti_. Even during the evening I was solicited on
all sides to give a second concert in the theatre.
March 18.
This morning early we visited the “Studii,” _i. e._ the building in
which the treasures of art from Pompeii and Herculaneum are preserved,
together with the collections previously made of statues and paintings.
The library is situated also in the same building. As it is impossible
to see all in one day, we chose for to-day the statues and the library.
Among the former are some very celebrated statues from the Farnese
collection, of which numerous excellent casts have been made, and two
equestrian statues found in Pompeii, of great artistic worth. In one
room are two glazed cases, full of antique bronzes, also from Pompeii
and Herculaneum, consisting of lamps, small penates and all kinds of
domestic utensils. These things, as well as the statues in marble are
in the most perfect preservation, and appear scarcely so many days old
as they are years; but every thing of iron is much eaten by rust, as
for instance the handles and rings of various vessels of bronze.
The library is contained in a fine handsome and spacious apartment and
several adjoining rooms. On the floor of the grand room the line of the
meridian is drawn, on which, through a small hole pierced in the wall
for that purpose, the sun’s rays fall at noon. When a person claps his
hands at a particular spot in this apartment, an echo repeats it more
than thirty times in rapid succession. This arises probably from the
position of the window-recesses, which are high up, near the ceiling.
Lastly we visited the room where the rolls of papyrus are preserved
and unrolled. They have all the appearance of charcoal, and one might
mistake them for that, were it not that one can easily distinguish the
edges of the leaves. A manuscript fully unrolled, mounted upon linen,
framed and glazed, hangs against the wall. As the paper is burnt quite
black the letters are scarcely to be distinguished, and one cannot but
admire the patience, the penetration, and the knowledge of languages
of those who have known how to unravel its sense. It is a treatise on
music: each side is divided into three columns. In the first is seen an
engraved, accurate copy of the unrolled papyrus, with all its defects,
and rents; in the second, the contents in modern Greek characters, in
which the letters and words that are wanting in the original are filled
in with red letters, and in the third, a Latin translation. They are
now unrolling another manuscript, but do not appear to be hurrying
themselves much, for we found one person only thus occupied. The method
pursued is a very simple one. Small strips of fine parchment are stuck
with gum close to each other or rather somewhat lapping over each
other, upon the charred rolls, after which the paper is gradually and
carefully released and removed. The process is of a necessity a slow
one, but considerably more might have been unrolled by this time. If
these precious remains of ancient learning were in the possession of a
German sovereign, they would all have been deciphered long since.
March 22.
As I did not like the trouble of making the arrangement for a second
concert, I readily accepted the proposal of the impressario to play
twice at the San Carlo theatre between the acts of the opera for the
sum of 300 ducats. This I did the evening before last for the first
time. I was very much afraid that the violin would not fill the immense
house, but I was soon set at rest on that point on being told at the
rehearsal that every note was distinctly heard in the most distant
parts of the house. But of a necessity nevertheless I was obliged to
forego every finer _nuance_ in my play. Although the house was very
full, yet the greatest silence prevailed whilst I was playing, and
after the second piece of music I was called forward.
Last evening I played at the _Casino mobile_, in a very fine saloon,
my concerto in the form of a scena, and a pot-pourri with pianoforte
accompaniment. As the room is very favourable for music, both of these
had a very sensible effect upon the audience. The remainder of the
concert, consisting of symphonies and _pièces d’harmonie_, was not of
importance.
I forgot to mention a concert given by Signora _Paravicini_ at which
we were present, at the _Teatro nuovo_, on Wednesday last. She played,
between the acts of a comedy, the first violin-concerto of _Rode_
in D minor, a pot-pourri by _Kreutzer_, and at the end an _Adagio_
and _Rondo_ of the same composer. I have been accustomed to hear my
instrument ill used by women, but I never saw it used so badly as by
Signora _Paravicini_. I was the more surprised at this, as she has
acquired some fame, and has a vast deal of pretension; as an instance
of this, she told people here that she had heard _Rode_ in Vienna, but
that he had excited no other sentiment in her than pity. Her turn
had now come to excite pity if one can feel it at all for arrogance
and unskilfulness. She has a very excellent violin, a _Stradivari_,
and in the cantabile draws from it a tolerable tone; but that is her
only merit. In other respects she plays in bad taste, with a profusion
of meaningless ornamentations, and the passages indistinctly: her
intonation is not pure and her bow stroke extremely bungling. The
applause was very lukewarm and was elicited only when Prince Leopold
her patron began to clap his hands. Much more interesting than
_Paravicini’s_ play, was the comedy, which was capitally performed.
Signor _de Marini_ played remarkably well, and he is altogether one of
the best actors of the day. The theatre, certainly, is smaller than the
Fiorentino and Fondo, but quite as pretty.