Mr. Criticus Flub-Dubbe's program study class began the season yesterday
afternoon with every member present and keenly attentive. After a
preparatory sketch of old Italian music, Mr. Dubbe told us about the
Neapolitan Sixth, which, he said had exercised so strong an influence on
music that, if Naples had never done anything else, this alone would
have insured to the city fame in history.
"The Neapolitan Sixth," said Mr. Dubbe, "is so called because the
composers of the Neapolitan school of opera were the first to introduce
it freely. D. and A. Scarlatti were at the head of the school and were
well-known musicians. Bach, who was not so well known, also used this
sixth."
"Which used it first?" asked Mrs. Givu A. Payne.
"Bach, of course," replied Mr. Dubbe. "Bach used everything first."
"Dear old Bach!" exclaimed Miss Georgiana Gush.
"The Neapolitan Sixth," continued Mr. Dubbe, "is usually found in the
first inversion; hence the name, the sixth indicating the first
inversion of the chord."
"How clever!" said Mrs. Gottem-Allbeat.
"It is an altered chord, the altered tone being the super-tonic. The
real character of the chord is submediant of the subdominant key; that
is, it is a major chord, and the use of such a major chord in the solemn
minor tonalities is indicative of the superficiality of the Italian
school--a desire for a change from the strict polyphonic music of the
times. Even the stern Bach was influenced."
"The Italians are so frivolous," said Mrs. Boru-Stiffe.
"A reign of frivolity ensued," went on Mr. Dubbe. "Not only was Italian
music influenced by this sixth, but Italian art, architecture,
sculpture, even material products. Take, for example, Neapolitan
ice-cream. Observe the influence of the sixth. The cream is made in
three color tones--the vanilla being the subdominant, as the chord is of
subdominant character; the strawberry being the submediant, and the
restful green the lowered supertonic or altered tone."
"What is the pineapple ice?" asked Miss Gay Votte.
"The pineapple ice is the twelfth overtone," replied Mr. Dubbe.
"There doesn't seem to be anything that Mr. Dubbe doesn't know,"
whispered Mrs. Fuller-Prunes to me with a smile.