Page 207 - 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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from theatre to church: some remarks about censorship on operatic style ...

ence on the repertoire.30 But following the first Regolamento per la musi-
ca sacra (Regulation on Sacred Music) dated 1884, a few commissions for
sacred music started to appear on the territory. This Regolamento was is-
sued by Pope Leo XIII, forbidding all music based on theatrical and pro-
fane reminiscences (therefore excluding any cabaletta, cavatina or recita-
tive), the only language admitted being Latin. Words of Latin texts were to
be quoted entirely, without any omissions, repetitions or divisions. This is
the reason why at a certain point even the fugue as a compositional form
started to be questioned (a paradox, since the fugue had been typical of
church style for many years). It was said that the fugue, being made up of
subject, countersubject, episodes and stretto, is an artifice bringing confu-
sion and repetition of words.

In 1885 the Commission for Sacred Music in Venice was established,
the following year the same in Padua and in 1889 a Commission for Sacred
Music was instituted in Udine, as well. It was only in 1901 that a Commis-
sion was established in Rome: therefore, compared to the capital city the
North-East had moved ahead more speedily in the reform process.31

Ten years after the Regolamento, further regulations were introduced
through the Normae pro musica sacra (Rules for sacred music), published
once again by the Sacra Congregazione dei Riti (the Sacred Congregation
of Rites).32 For the first time they considered the possibility of inflicting
punishments on trespassers, albeit without specifying what type of punish-
ments were meant.

In 1905 a local Regulation was introduced, signed by the Friulian
Archbishop. Musicians identified by name and surname were now open-
ly banned: authors of operas and more in general of theatre music, such as

30 See Alba Zanini, “Il carteggio di Giovanni Battista Candotti” in Candotti, Tomadini,
De Santi e la riforma della musica sacra, by Franco Colussi and Lucia Boscolo
Folegana (Udine: Forum, 2011), 60.

31 A significant role in the establishment and development of the Cecilian movement
in Italy was played by the Roman Catholic organisation named Opera dei Congres-
si e dei Comitati Cattolici. For several years, the Opera dei Congressi dealt with is-
sues concerning liturgical music; the Sacred Music division had already approved
the founding of the Generale Associazione Italiana di Santa Cecilia (General Italian
Association of Saint Cecilia) at the first congress held; however, it was actually insti-
tuted in 1880 by Guerrino Amelli. Cfr. Pier Luigi Gaiatto, Il movimento ceciliano di
area veneta e il recupero dell’antico (1874–1897), doctoral thesis in History and Criti-
que of Music, University of Padua, AY 2007/2008, p. 3.

32 The Normae pro musica sacra were published on 7. 7. 1894.

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