Page 204 - Weiss, Jernej, ur. 2017. Glasbene migracije: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti - Musical Migrations: Crossroads of European Musical Diversity. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 1
P. 204
glasbene migracije: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti
organo-banda, as in his Messa per organo in re maggiore. Joyful and lively
masses, often including a vigorous bass drum and cymbal are also well rep-
resented by the Messa solenne in Fa maggiore. But among composers con-
sidered most noisy and choreographic was surely Padre Davide da Berga-
mo20, an Italian monk whose liturgical works were full of brilliant themes
born from an unstoppable creativity. Padre Davide made great use of the
bells register. In his Sinfonia in re maggiore the organ is used in all its or-
chestral potential, following the structure of a Rossinian crescendo, with
a clear and pervasive rhythmic pattern leading to a rowdy finale. The final
section seems almost incomplete without a thunderous applause to follow,
much like at the end of an opera’s opening symphony in a theatre. His mu-
sic was loved by the believers - he was in fact treated like a divo - but poorly
tolerated by many priests who were convinced that these works corrupted
the musical taste and religious feeling of the Christian people.
Whether performed only by the organist or by the full orchestra, the
musical performances seemed to enjoy great attention from the public, as
testified with resignation by one of the reformers, Ivan Trinko, who de-
scribed “a crowd of openmouthed people who were listing in wonder to the
free show, […] ready to hear the final part of the Agnus Dei and then rush
out of the sacred enclosure as if they had nothing else to do in there once
the show was over!”. 21 They were referring to the virtuosity of singers, con-
tortions and grimaces of soloists, cheeky interludes, cheerful symphonies
and noisy orchestral marches. The vaulted ceilings of cathedrals echoed in
a “lavish and deafening” way with music by a “cheerful crowd” of leading
opera composers of the time.
The operatic genre had become a synonym of “corruption”, “faulty”,
a genre “in need of care” (implying the concept of illness). “Ridiculous”,
“vulgar”, “trivial”, were among the adjectives most used to describe the so-
called “operatic style” in Catholic press. A ferocious controversy sparked off
in Catholic journals, raging over musicians, singers and priests who did not
intend to accept the church’s new directives. As we know from history, re-
formers demanded a return to Gregorian chant and polyphony.
20 Padre Davide da Bergamo, born Felice Moretti (1791–1863): Italian organist and
composer, fellow disciple of Donizetti.
21 “una folla stipata che si godeva a bocca aperta, a occhi sbarrati, coi nasi all’aria lo
spettacolo gratuito, […] pronta alle ultime battute dell’Agnus Dei a precipitarsi fuori
del sacro recinto, come gente, che, godutosi il divertimento, null’altro avesse da fare
là dentro!”. Ivan Trinko, Commemorazione di Jacopo B. Tomadini nel primo centena-
rio della sua nascita (Udine: S. Paolino, 1923), 118.
202
organo-banda, as in his Messa per organo in re maggiore. Joyful and lively
masses, often including a vigorous bass drum and cymbal are also well rep-
resented by the Messa solenne in Fa maggiore. But among composers con-
sidered most noisy and choreographic was surely Padre Davide da Berga-
mo20, an Italian monk whose liturgical works were full of brilliant themes
born from an unstoppable creativity. Padre Davide made great use of the
bells register. In his Sinfonia in re maggiore the organ is used in all its or-
chestral potential, following the structure of a Rossinian crescendo, with
a clear and pervasive rhythmic pattern leading to a rowdy finale. The final
section seems almost incomplete without a thunderous applause to follow,
much like at the end of an opera’s opening symphony in a theatre. His mu-
sic was loved by the believers - he was in fact treated like a divo - but poorly
tolerated by many priests who were convinced that these works corrupted
the musical taste and religious feeling of the Christian people.
Whether performed only by the organist or by the full orchestra, the
musical performances seemed to enjoy great attention from the public, as
testified with resignation by one of the reformers, Ivan Trinko, who de-
scribed “a crowd of openmouthed people who were listing in wonder to the
free show, […] ready to hear the final part of the Agnus Dei and then rush
out of the sacred enclosure as if they had nothing else to do in there once
the show was over!”. 21 They were referring to the virtuosity of singers, con-
tortions and grimaces of soloists, cheeky interludes, cheerful symphonies
and noisy orchestral marches. The vaulted ceilings of cathedrals echoed in
a “lavish and deafening” way with music by a “cheerful crowd” of leading
opera composers of the time.
The operatic genre had become a synonym of “corruption”, “faulty”,
a genre “in need of care” (implying the concept of illness). “Ridiculous”,
“vulgar”, “trivial”, were among the adjectives most used to describe the so-
called “operatic style” in Catholic press. A ferocious controversy sparked off
in Catholic journals, raging over musicians, singers and priests who did not
intend to accept the church’s new directives. As we know from history, re-
formers demanded a return to Gregorian chant and polyphony.
20 Padre Davide da Bergamo, born Felice Moretti (1791–1863): Italian organist and
composer, fellow disciple of Donizetti.
21 “una folla stipata che si godeva a bocca aperta, a occhi sbarrati, coi nasi all’aria lo
spettacolo gratuito, […] pronta alle ultime battute dell’Agnus Dei a precipitarsi fuori
del sacro recinto, come gente, che, godutosi il divertimento, null’altro avesse da fare
là dentro!”. Ivan Trinko, Commemorazione di Jacopo B. Tomadini nel primo centena-
rio della sua nascita (Udine: S. Paolino, 1923), 118.
202
