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ES-68
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edited by G.Fr.Perrucci
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Giovannimaria Perrucci, who discovered the Versetti by Francesco Basili, records how the composer had the misfortune to pass into history for signing the examination decision not to admit Giuseppe Verdi to the Milan Conservatory of music - this was due to him being the institution's 'Censor' at that time. There were, however, those who had tried in the 1870s to honour and bring musical recognition to his noble status as a composer. His Miserere a quattro voci concertato [...] cantato nella Settimana Santa in S. Pietro in Vaticano was, in fact, published by Ricordi in the first of the seven volumes of the Biblioteca Musicale Sacra that appeared between 1877 and 1879. The success of this composition continued in Rome until the 1930s. Edoardo Perelli, Ricordi's faithful commentator who, under the pseudonym Edwart, wrote introductions for many scores as well as for each of the volumes of the Biblioteca Musicale Sacra, publicly presented Basily (which was the way in which his surname was then normally spelt, derived from the plural form of Basilius) and his Miserere with words of high praise. His church compositions are described as being 'of excellent style' and his Miserere as 'a true model of religious music, as it is understood today'. The 'serene and mournful feelings of sentiment' are never suffocated by 'contrapuntal artifice'. The imitations are 'free', without 'ostentatious canons or fugues'. Such words can also be applied to these Versetti in which, as the editor observes, 'polyphonic writing (sometimes in fugal style) is not infrequently used'. We encounter versetti (particularly numbers 35, 55, 66, 84 and 90) whose composition is marked by what was then called 'legato style'. There are only sporadic appearances of some fugato or freely imitative suggestions, such as in numbers 70, 78 and 96, and it is curious that the only references to the word fugato are found in two pieces: Allegro fugato no. 6 and no. 60, in which there is absolutely no imitative writing. There is, however, a predominance of writing that resembles the style of piano compositions, as in most Italian organ music of the period, and there are even some dance tempi, which in two cases (Tempo di polacca no. 20 and no. 95) are expressly indicated. The versetto as a form was created and developed for liturgical purposes, to alternate with song, in particular with Gregorian chant. It is therefore written for organ, as can be seen in these versetti from the continual pedal instructions, even though it is not specified in the title nor confirmed by indications of registration, which were common in this same period, for example in the versetti by Giuseppe Gherardeschi of Pistoia. A piano performance was nevertheless certainly not out of the question and the 'nobile donzella Matilde Perozzi', to whom it was dedicated, might well have gained 'diletto' (pleasure) from it. We note in this respect the compositions of Padre Davide da Bergamo (born Felice Moretti) entitled Settantadue versetti musicali in tutti i modi maggiori e minori con introduzione e finale per gli usi rituali dell'organo come pure dei famigliari del pianoforte published by Ricordi towards the middle of the century. The collection is introduced by a wordy prologue by S[amuele] Biava, Dei suoni e dei canti indirizzati coll'organo e col buonaccordo alla educazione evangelica delle famiglie e delle nazioni, in which it is explained that the word buonaccordo is a 'general name used for instruments specifically called gravicembalo, arpicordo and spinet'. The pedal notes would obviously have to be omitted in a 'home' performance of the versetti, unless a pedal instrument was available, as in the case of the late spinets that were still being built in Italy in the early decades of the 19th century. We sincerely hope that this edition will be successfully received. It deserves to be, for its precision and especially for the 'extraordinary inventive variety' of its pieces as Giovannimaria Perrucci explains, confirming the view expressed by François-Joseph Fétis, who was not usually well disposed towards his Italian contemporaries. When he met the seventy-four year old Basili in 1841, the Belgian critic was struck 'by the youthfulness of his ideas, by his excellent feeling for harmony', as well as 'by the fire' that, when seated at an old pianoforte, 'he put into his performance.' Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini (translation
Composer(s):
Publisher(s):
Publishernumber:
ES-68
Instrument(s):
ISBN:
9790215322271
Number:
213429
Theme(s):
Overige informatie:
edited by G.Fr.Perrucci
