Part 5 (1/2)
It is certain that the wayward and splenetic character evinced by this brilliant artist, was his bane through the greater part of his life. To enquire how much of that character was indigenous to the man, and how much the evil fruit of the private-patronage system, were, perhaps, to consider too curiously. That he was careless of his own interest, and that he quarrelled with some of his most valuable friends, can excite little surprise, when we note the furor of favoritism, the perversity of petting, that were thrust upon him. We must not expect, in the _morale_ of the musician
”Made drunk with honor, and debauch'd with praise,”
that ”sterner stuff,” which we look for in the philosopher.
As a composer for the instrument on which he shone, Giardini is not ent.i.tled to rank very high. His Solos and Concertos, numerous, pleasing and of neat effect, were not of so marked a character as to ensure any great duration to their popularity; nor did they admit of any severe a.n.a.lysis as to science in their structure. It is from his _playing_ that his high reputation is derived; and he confirmed into triumph, by more than thirty years of brilliant performance, the previously growing favour of the instrument in England, where indeed he may be said to have completely reformed the Violin system. A living testimony to the excellence of his playing, with a few words as to its manner, has been given, not long since, by Parke, the oboist, who heard him in 1776, and states that he displayed a fund of grace and expression-that his tone united sweetness with power-and (an odd addendum) that he made use of strings so large as to give rise to the idea that his fingers must have been blistered by the necessary pressure he gave them.
ANTONIO LOLLI, born at Bergamo, in 1728, attained eminence in his own country, and afterwards (from 1762 to 1773) became Concert-Master to the Duke of Wurtemburg. Subsequently he went to Russia, where he obtained, from the Empress, Catherine II, a signal token of her admiration, in the shape of a violin-bow, made for him by her order, and bearing on it an inscription in her own potential autograph:-”_Archet fait par ordre de Catherine II, pour l'incomparable Lolli_.” In 1785, he visited England, whence he proceeded to Spain, and thence to Paris, where he performed at the _Spirituel_ and other Concerts. In 1788, he returned to Italy, where he glorified his own name with the t.i.tle of Concert-Master to the Empress of Russia; and in 1794, he was at Vienna, ascribing himself under the same character to the King of Naples. He died, after a lingering illness, at Naples, in 1802. His excellence in practice was chiefly evinced in quick movements: he was rarely inclined to exhibit in an adagio.[31] An anecdote in proof of his professional a.s.siduity is recorded by Gerber. When he entered on his engagement at Stuttgard, in 1762, he found a superior there, in the person of Nardini. This circ.u.mstance roused all his energies, which speedily took a settled purpose. He requested the Duke to allow him a year's leave of absence, to travel; instead of which, he retired, diligent, but disingenuous, to a secluded village, and applied himself indefatigably to his instrument.
At the end of the accorded absence, he returned from his pretended journey, ”clarior e tenebris,” and shone forth with such effect, that Nardini gave up the contest, and returned to Italy.
With regard to the compositions of Lolli, it is known that he never wrote more than the theme, and obtained from other hands the ba.s.s, or the parts for the several instruments: yet it is curious to note that he gives difficult pa.s.sages, of considerable compa.s.s, to be executed on the _fourth string_ only. There are extant various sets of his Solos, a Preceptive Treatise on the Violin, &c.
GAETANO PUGNANI, first violinist to the King of Sardinia, was born at Turin, in the year 1728. At a very early age, he began to practise the instrument on which he was destined to excel. His first tutor was Somis, his countryman, already named as one of the most distinguished scholars of Corelli. After displaying his extraordinary abilities at the Sardinian Court, Pugnani went to Paris, and received the highest applause at the _Concert Spirituel_, as an admitted rival of J. Stamitz, Gavinies, and Pagin.
Pugnani afterwards visited many parts of Europe, and remained a considerable time in England. It was here that he composed a great portion of his violin music. In 1770, he returned to Italy; and, at Turin, founded a school for violinists, as Corelli had at Rome, and Tartini at Padua. From this practical academy issued the first performers of the latter part of the eighteenth century; among whom were Viotti, Bruni and Oliveri. Pugnani's style of execution is recorded to have been broad and n.o.ble, and characterized by that commanding sweep of the bow which afterwards formed so grand a feature in the performance of Viotti; the germs of whose high qualities are clearly traceable to his master. It has been remarked, that all the pupils of Pugnani proved excellent leaders. To lead well, was his most distinguis.h.i.+ng excellence; and he possessed the art of transmitting it to others. In the orchestra, says Rangoni, he commanded like a general in the midst of his soldiers.
His bow was the baton of authority, which every performer obeyed with the most scrupulous exact.i.tude. With a single stroke of this bow, he could correct the erroneous, or animate the lethargic. He even indicated to the _actors_ the tone and sentiment in which they ought to deliver, their respective melodies, and brought every thing to that harmony of expression, without which the operatic scene fails of its most powerful charm. His strong and acute mind possessed with the great object to which every leader ought to attend, he promptly and powerfully seized all the grand points, the character, the style and taste of the composition, and impressed it upon the feelings of the performers, both vocal and instrumental.
Pugnani, in addition to the display of brilliant and powerful abilities as a performer, gave, in his compositions, evidence of a free and elegant imagination. His several instrumental pieces, which consist of solos, trios, quartetts, quintetts and overtures, were published variously, in London, Amsterdam and Paris. On the Continent, they are still in some request, but are become very scarce. They display an eloquence of melody, and an animated and nervous manner. The ideas are natural, both in themselves and in their succession; and, however pointed and striking, never desert the style of the _motivo_. The operas of this distinguished master, seven or eight in number, were all highly successful; and there is scarcely a theatre in Italy, at which some of them have not been performed.
Amongst the anecdotes that have been related of Pugnani, are the following. In his early youth, but when already much advanced on the violin, feeling far from satisfied with the degree of excellence he had attained, he resolved to quit Paris for Padua, in order to see Tartini, to consult him on his playing, and to improve himself under his instruction. Desired by that great master to give him a specimen of his performance, he requested of him, beforehand, to express frankly his opinion of his style and manner. Before he had played many bars, Tartini suddenly seized his arm, saying, ”Too loud, my good friend; too loud!”
Pugnani began afresh; when, arriving at the same pa.s.sage, his auditor again stopped him short, exclaiming, ”Too soft, my good friend; too soft!” He immediately laid down his instrument, and solicited Tartini to admit him among his scholars. His request was granted; and, excellent violinist as he really already was, he began his practice _de novo_, and, under the guidance of his new instructor, soon became one of the first performers of his time. Not long after this, at the house of Madame Denis, Pugnani heard Voltaire recite a poetical composition, in a style that enchanted him; and he, in his turn, at the lady's request, began to perform on his violin; when, vexed at the interruption and ill-breeding of Voltaire's loud conversation,[32] he suddenly stopped, and put his violin into the case, saying, ”M. Voltaire fait tres-bien les vers, mais, quant a la musique, il n'y entend pas le diable.” Once, in performing a concerto before a numerous company, he became so excited, on arriving at an _ad libitum_ pa.s.sage, and so lost in attention to his playing, that, thinking himself alone, he walked about the room, ”turbine raptus ingenii,” till he had finished his very beautiful cadence.
Pugnani died at the city of his birth, in 1798. The violinist, Cartier, has written his eulogium in few words, but of strong import:-”He was the master of Viotti.”
GIOVANNI MANE GIORNOVICHI (or Giarnovick, or Jarnowick, as he has been variously called) was born at Palermo, in 1745, and had Antonio Lolli for his preceptor. Resorting to Paris for his first public display, he appeared at the _Concert Spirituel_, with indifferent success, but, by perseverance, soon turned the scale of opinion in his favour so effectually, that, during a s.p.a.ce of ten years, the style of Giornovichi was in fas.h.i.+on in the French capital. His sway there was terminated by the superior power of Viotti, and he quitted France about the year 1780, proceeding to Prussia, where, in 1782, he was engaged as first violin in the Royal Chapel of Potsdam. He was, subsequently, for some time in Russia.[33] Between the years 1792 and 1796, he was in high vogue in various parts of England, but lost his popularity through a dispute with an eminent professor, in which the sense of the public went against him.
A residence of some years in Hamburgh, a shorter stay at Berlin, and then a change to St. Petersburgh, brought him to the end of his career.
He died of apoplexy, in 1804.
The eccentricity which marked the character of this artist, is shown in various anecdotes that have been current respecting him. On one occasion, at Lyons, he announced a concert, at six francs a ticket, but failed to collect an audience. Finding the Lyonnese so retentive of their money, he postponed his performance to the following evening, with the temptation of tickets at half the price. A crowded company was the result; but their expectations were suddenly let down by the discovery that ”the advertiser” had quitted the town _sans ceremonie_. At another time, being in the music-shop of Bailleux, he accidentally broke a pane of gla.s.s.
”Those who break windows must pay for them,” said Bailleux. ”Right,”
replied the other; ”how much is it?” ”Thirty sous.” ”Well, there's a three-franc piece.” ”But I have no small change.” ”Never mind that,”
Giornovichi replied; ”we are now quits!” and immediately dashed his cane through a second square-thus taking _double panes_ to make himself disagreeable.
The auth.o.r.ess of the ”Memoirs of the Empress Josephine” has furnished an anecdote connected with his sojourn in London. He gave a concert, which was very fully attended. On the commencement of a concerto which he had to perform, the company continued conversing together, while their whispering was intermingled with the clattering of tea-cups and saucers-for it was then customary to serve the company with tea throughout the evening, during the performance as well as in the intervening pauses. Giornovichi turned to the orchestra, and desired the performers to stop. ”These people,” said he, ”know nothing about music.
I will give them something better suited to their taste. Any thing is good enough for _drinkers of warm water_.” So saying, he immediately struck up the air, ”J'ai du bon tabac.” The best of the matter was, he was overwhelmed with applause; the second piece was listened to with great attention, and the circulation of the tea-cups was actually suspended until its conclusion.
”Giornovick,” says Michael Kelly, again, in his ”Reminiscences,” ”was a desperate duellist, quarrelled with Shaw, the leader of the Drury Lane orchestra, at an oratorio, and challenged him. I strove all in my power to make peace between them. Giornovick could not speak a word of English[34], and Shaw could not speak a word of French. They both agreed that I should be the mediator between them. I translated what they said to each other, most faithfully; but, unfortunately, Shaw, in reply to one of Giornovick's accusations, said, ”Pooh! pooh!”-”Sacre!”
said Giornovick, ”what is the meaning of dat 'pooh! pooh?' I will not hear a word until you translate me 'pooh! pooh!'” My good wishes to produce harmony between them, for some time, were frustrated, because I really did not know how to translate 'pooh! pooh!' into French or Italian. I, however, at last succeeded in making them friends; but the whole scene was truly ludicrous.”[35]
The mettlesome _vivacity_ of this strange being was further shown in his intercourse with the Chevalier St. George, who was expert at the sword, as well as the _bow_. Giornovichi often disagreed with this formidable master of fence, and, one day, in the heat of a dispute, dealt him a box on the ear. Instead of resenting it, however, by means of his ”so potent art,” St. George turned round, with laudable self-restraint, to a person who was present, and said, ”_J'aime trop son talent pour me battre avec lui!_” (”I am too fond of his talent, to fight him.”)
”Jarnowick,” says a recent critic, ”was a sort of erratic star or meteor, which cannot be brought into the system of the regular planets of the violin. Slightly educated, and shallow as a musician, his native talent, and the facility with which he was able to conquer mechanical difficulties, rendered him so brilliant and powerful a player, that, for a time, he was quite the rage, both in France and England. We have been told, by a gentleman who knew him well,” adds this writer, ”that he has seen him, with his violin in his hand, walking about his room, and groping about on the strings for ba.s.ses to the melodies he was composing. His concertos are agreeable and brilliant, but dest.i.tute of profundity and grandeur, and are, therefore, totally thrown aside. His performance was graceful and elegant, and his tone was pure. He was remarkably happy in his manner of treating simple and popular airs as _rondos_, returning ever and anon to his theme, after a variety of brilliant excursions, in a way that used to fascinate his hearers. But, both as a composer and a performer, the effect he produced was ephemeral, and has left no trace behind it. He contributed nothing either to the progress of music, or to that of the instrument which he cultivated.”
In giving the reverse side of the picture, there appears to be here a little exaggeration of its defects. That so eminent a performer should have contributed _nothing_ to the progress of his instrument, is scarcely to be held probable. The crowds he drew, and the admiration he excited, must surely have been the means of diffusing some increased regard for the instrument of whose single powers he made such brilliant exhibition. To the steady advancement of the art, through the formation of pupils, he might contribute nothing; but he must have added something to its success, by stimulating the public disposition to encourage it. To create admirers, is of less importance than to make proficients; and yet it is an achievement of _some_ value, inasmuch as it promotes the _demand_ for proficients. Even when the public, for personal reasons, withdrew their patronage from Giornovichi, they only transferred, in favor of others, the admiration for violin solo-playing, which he had been one of the agents to instil into them: and thus it is that no performer of great abilities, unless, by introducing a vicious style, he corrupts taste (which has not been charged upon Giornovichi), can be justly said to be dest.i.tute of advantageous influence upon his art.
GIOVANNI BATTISTA VIOTTI, the first violinist of his age, and the enlightened originator of the modern order of violin-playing, was born in 1755, at Fontaneto, a small village in Piedmont. Possessing the happiest dispositions for his art, the progress he made under Pugnani was so rapid, that, at the age of twenty, he was chosen to fill the situation of first violinist to the Royal Chapel of Turin. After about three years' residence there, he proceeded on his travels, having already attained maturity of excellence. From Berlin, he directed his course towards Paris, where he displayed his talents in the _Concert Spirituel_, and speedily obliged Giornovichi, who was then figuring as a star of the first pretensions, to ”pale his ineffectual fire.” The concertos of Giornovichi, agreeable and brilliant as they were, and supported by his graceful and elegant playing, lost their attraction when brought into rivalry with the beauty and grandeur of Viotti's compositions, aided by the n.o.ble and powerful manner in which he executed them.
Viotti's fame very soon drew on him the notice of the French Court; and he was sent for to Versailles by Marie Antoinette. A new concerto of his own composition, to be performed at a courtly festival, was to afford a treat worthy of Royalty; and every one of the privileged was impatient to hear him. At the appointed hour, a thousand lights illumined the magnificent musical saloon of the Queen; the most distinguished symphonists of the chapel-royal, and of the theatres (ordered for the service of their Majesties) were seated at the desks where the parts of the music were distributed. The Queen, the Princes, the ladies of the royal family, and all the persons belonging to their Court, having arrived, the concert commenced. The performers, in the midst of whom Viotti was distinguished, received from him their impulse, and appeared to be animated by the same spirit. The symphony proceeded with all the fire and all the expression of him who conceived and directed it. At the expiration of the _tutti_, the enthusiasm was at its height; but etiquette forbade applause; the orchestra was silent. In the saloon, it seemed as if every one present was forewarned by this very silence to breathe more softly, in order to hear more perfectly the _solo_ which he was about to commence. The strings, trembling under the lofty and brilliant bow of Viotti, had already sent forth some prelusive sounds, when suddenly a great noise was heard from the next apartment.