Page 206 - 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
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glasbene migracije: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti
journalist, but it was actually Angelo De Santi himself, among the most im-
portant reformers on a national level, who would use such denigratory ter-
minology.25 Referring to Jacopo Tomadini,26 a pupil of Candotti, he stat-
ed that people should have been proud to have such a model to follow but
“Woe betide them if, disregarding the manna from the heaven, they should
nevertheless chase the fetid onions from Egypt. In that case, they would no
longer have the right to any excuse whatsoever”27. This was written on a top
journal read by a vast audience.
It was not only the repertory as such to be contested, but how it was
performed, as well. During a trip to Rome, Jacopo Tomadini visited the
Sistine Chapel and this is how he described a musical performance by the
famous castrato singer Domenico Mustafà28 in a letter to his teacher: “[...]
Especially solos sung by Mr Mustafà, both for the style of the music and
even more for how it was sung, are something really disgusting to be listen
to in church. In the end he sounds like a prima donna at the theatre, with
his cloying manner, his mawkishness, his forced mannerisms and his affec-
tation, all which the gravity and holiness of the place thrusts back a million
miles…[...]”.29 This clearly shows a critical attitude towards a certain sing-
ing style, but at least it surfaces in a private letter.
We could at this point ask ourselves who was in fact supposed to give
directions regarding sacred repertoire to be performed in churches, and
what solutions were proposed as for scores in general. At times it was the
municipality itself who paid for services and therefore had a certain influ-
Degli autori di musica sacra che vanno per la maggiore in questa Provincia,” Musica
Sacra, XV, 5, (1891): 78–79.
25 Angelo De Santi (1847–1922), a Jesuit, contributed to the formulation of the Motu
proprio Inter sollicitudines.
26 Jacopo Tomadini (1820–1883), Italian composer and priest, played a significant part
in the reform movement and was vicepresident of the Italian Association of Saint
Cecilia. The Conservatory of Udine is named after him.
27 “Guai ciò non ostante se dispregiando la manna piovutagli dal cielo, corre dietro alle
fetide cipolle d’Egitto. Non ha più diritto a scusa veruna,” Angelo De Santi, Civiltà
Cattolica, 2. 8. 1890.
28 Domenico Mustafà (1829–1912), Italian castrato singer and composer, was appoint-
ed choir director by Pope Leo XIII in 1860. On his life and the Sistine Chapel at that
time, see Alberto De Angelis, Domenico Mustafà. La Cappella Sistina e la Società
Musicale Romana (Bologna: Zanichelli, 1926).
29 Letter by Jacopo Tomadini to Giovanni Battista Candotti, s.d. Cividale, Archivio
Musicale Capitolare, Fondo Candotti, Corrispondenza.
204
journalist, but it was actually Angelo De Santi himself, among the most im-
portant reformers on a national level, who would use such denigratory ter-
minology.25 Referring to Jacopo Tomadini,26 a pupil of Candotti, he stat-
ed that people should have been proud to have such a model to follow but
“Woe betide them if, disregarding the manna from the heaven, they should
nevertheless chase the fetid onions from Egypt. In that case, they would no
longer have the right to any excuse whatsoever”27. This was written on a top
journal read by a vast audience.
It was not only the repertory as such to be contested, but how it was
performed, as well. During a trip to Rome, Jacopo Tomadini visited the
Sistine Chapel and this is how he described a musical performance by the
famous castrato singer Domenico Mustafà28 in a letter to his teacher: “[...]
Especially solos sung by Mr Mustafà, both for the style of the music and
even more for how it was sung, are something really disgusting to be listen
to in church. In the end he sounds like a prima donna at the theatre, with
his cloying manner, his mawkishness, his forced mannerisms and his affec-
tation, all which the gravity and holiness of the place thrusts back a million
miles…[...]”.29 This clearly shows a critical attitude towards a certain sing-
ing style, but at least it surfaces in a private letter.
We could at this point ask ourselves who was in fact supposed to give
directions regarding sacred repertoire to be performed in churches, and
what solutions were proposed as for scores in general. At times it was the
municipality itself who paid for services and therefore had a certain influ-
Degli autori di musica sacra che vanno per la maggiore in questa Provincia,” Musica
Sacra, XV, 5, (1891): 78–79.
25 Angelo De Santi (1847–1922), a Jesuit, contributed to the formulation of the Motu
proprio Inter sollicitudines.
26 Jacopo Tomadini (1820–1883), Italian composer and priest, played a significant part
in the reform movement and was vicepresident of the Italian Association of Saint
Cecilia. The Conservatory of Udine is named after him.
27 “Guai ciò non ostante se dispregiando la manna piovutagli dal cielo, corre dietro alle
fetide cipolle d’Egitto. Non ha più diritto a scusa veruna,” Angelo De Santi, Civiltà
Cattolica, 2. 8. 1890.
28 Domenico Mustafà (1829–1912), Italian castrato singer and composer, was appoint-
ed choir director by Pope Leo XIII in 1860. On his life and the Sistine Chapel at that
time, see Alberto De Angelis, Domenico Mustafà. La Cappella Sistina e la Società
Musicale Romana (Bologna: Zanichelli, 1926).
29 Letter by Jacopo Tomadini to Giovanni Battista Candotti, s.d. Cividale, Archivio
Musicale Capitolare, Fondo Candotti, Corrispondenza.
204
