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As a result of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, James II Stuart lost the throne of England, Scotland, and Ireland. He spent the last years of his life in France, in residence offered to his family and court by Louis XIV. Following his death in 1701, the title and claim to the throne of the three kingdoms was inherited by his son James III Stuart, who in 1719 married Maria Clementina Sobieska (1702–1735). James and his wife extended their patronage over one of Rome's major opera houses, the Teatro d’Alibert, at which 16 operas were dedicated to that couple in 1720–1730. Of those 8 that honoured Maria Clementina, 4 (half of them) deal with the topic of ‘oppressed innocence’, previously passed over by scholars studying the couple's patronage. These are: <italic>Eumene</italic>, (lib. A. Zeno, mus. N. Porpora, 1721), <italic>Adelaide</italic>, (lib. A. Salvi, mus. N. Porpora, 1723), <italic>Siroe</italic>, <italic>re di Persia</italic>, (lib. Metastasio, mus. N. Porpora, 1727), and <italic>Artaserse</italic>, (lib. Metastasio, mus. L. Vinci, 1730). This paper analyses the said operatic theme and attempts to explain why it is the dominant subject in operas dedicated to Sobieska. It also studies the political and propagandist potential which that theme could have for the Stuart cause.
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In the Shadow of the Lost Crown. ‘Oppressed Innocence’ in the Operas Dedicated to Maria Clementina Sobieska in Rome (1720–1730)

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Farinelli came to Venice only when his career was already well advanced. In 1728/29 he performed there in two operas, <italic>Catone in Utica</italic> by Leonardo Leo and <italic>Semiramide riconosciuta</italic> by Nicola Porpora. These operas needed to become a financial success because of the high remuneration the star singer earned. The composition and adaptation of the operas to the stage uncover the strategies by the impresarios of the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo, the Grimani brothers, and by Farinelli himself to secure income and renown. <italic>Catone in Utica</italic> underwent a highly unusual procedure at its very premiere because the opera was “impasticciata”, i.e. merged with pre-existing or newly-composed music by other composers. The substitutions reveal Farinelli's aim to stun the audience in his very first aria on stage. His brother's (Riccardo Broschi's) “Mi lusinga il cor d’affetto” Farinelli had sang earlier in 1728 presents his entire vocal profile in a single aria. In subsequent arias, Farinelli adds some features not present in this aria or concretizes several aspects of it. In the second opera, Porpora's <italic>Semiramide riconosciuta</italic>, Farinelli concentrates on another feature of his vocal style: small, fast, quasi-improvisational motives. Although they are also found in operas by other composers and were also sung by other singers, <italic>Semiramide riconosciuta</italic> is a special case because of their high frequency in Farinelli's role. All in all, the two operas of his first appearance in Venice seem to follow the intention to present his entire vocal spectrum to the audience.
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How to Impress the Public: Farinelli's Venetian Debut in 1728–1729

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Very little is known about Giuseppe Torti's life. Associated with Milan, he was active in 1752–1780. He made several long journeys, including to the Lithuanian court of H. F. Radziwiłł. I have recently discovered three new works by this composer, which means that his known and surviving output now consists of 12 compositions: 9 instrumental pieces, cantatas, and an aria, to which one should add one opera libretto and information about two operas. In Poland, Torti composed at least two (now lost) operas, staged at H. F. Radziwiłł's court theatre. His earlier works, such as <italic>Concerto in G Major</italic> (GroF826), <italic>Trio in G Major</italic> dedicated to Charles Davers, and the aria <italic>Attenda il core dal caro bene</italic> may also have belonged to the ducal court's repertoire. The cantata <italic>Armata sum in campo</italic> was most likely composed in Lithuania.
A notable aspect of Torti's preserved output are the numerous arrangements of his works, which suggests that his music was constantly in circulation, adapted and rewritten for the needs of a given place, in accordance with the audience's tastes. This indirectly confirms that his oeuvre earned the audience's acclaim. The geographic distribution of his compositions in European music centres is impressive indeed, from Edinburgh to Slutsk and from Stockholm to Palermo. This wide distribution testifies to Torti's love of travelling, but also to the popularity of his music.
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More on the Music of Giuseppe Torti (before 1752–after 1780)

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Late 16th- and early 17th-century Italian theatrical works (with or without music) based on the <italic>Book of Judith</italic> are perceived as associated with women, who acted as their performers (in female monasteries), dedicatees, or patrons. This paper considers the reasons for the loosening of such ties in the Baroque genres of dialogue and oratorio, which evolved in the circles of religious and lay congregations, in which women were either marginalised or altogether excluded. The link between women and the oratorio genre was thus maintained only in the case of the so-called palace oratorios. Oratorios did not gain a solid footing in the music life of female religious orders, either. Their presence mainly made itself felt in the space suspended between the monastic and secular worlds, namely, in the context of the ceremonies of clothing and profession, which were celebrated with performances of cantatas, dialogues, or oratorios. A survey of such repertoire from the 17th and 18th centuries has revealed an astonishing wealth of subjects and approaches: allegorical works, saints’ lives, Old Testament stories praising parents who offered their children up to God, happy weddings, or the deeds of extraordinary women. The <italic>Book of Judith</italic> occupies an important place among the latter subjects, which emphasised the <italic>fides</italic> and <italic>fortitudo</italic> of those entering monastic life. Existing works (such as Metastasio's <italic>Betulia</italic>) were also sometimes used. Some texts were written specially for such occasions, and they demonstrate individual qualities. Metastasio's solemn and exalted model was followed even in such small-scale pieces as the Florentine <italic>componimento sacro Giuditta</italic> of 1750. The <italic>rappresentazione La Giuditte</italic> (1621) depicts the strength of faith not only of Judith herself, but also (contrary to the Biblical account) – of the Bethulian society as an allegory of Bologna and its inhabitants. Comic elements were smuggled into the Paduan oratorio <italic>Giuditta</italic> (1735). To sum up, dramatic works with music based on the <italic>Book of Judith</italic>, written for the ceremonies of women entering the monastery, which have hitherto remained marginal to academic research, represent a promising field for further studies.
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Italian 17th- and 18th-Century Dramatic Works with Music, Written for the Clothing and Profession Ceremonies, with Special Reference to Compositions Based on the Book of Judith

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A now standard component of orchestral and wind band repertoire, <italic>Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber</italic> was originally intended to be ballet music. This study examines the history and background surrounding Paul Hindemith's orchestral piece and demonstrates how Hindemith crafted each movement based off Weber's original piano duets and incidental orchestral music. The study was undertaken as limited information exists about the piece in its entirety, and much of what has been written primarily concerns itself with grammatical and contextual aspects of Hindemith's title. Existing analyses either only focus on a singular movement, or are limited; presumably, due to a prevailing notion that Hindemith simply orchestrated the piano pieces. Potentially exacerbating the issue may be the fact that it was not known for nearly twenty years after <italic>Symphonic Metamorphosis</italic> was premiered which Weber duets Hindemith reworked. This analysis, coupled with the background information provided, shows that Hindemith's settings transcend mere orchestrations and, in some cases, exhibit qualities of original composition. The analysis thoroughly delineates Weber's <italic>Turandot</italic> overture and three piano duets, part by part and hand by hand, to show exactly where and how Hindemith altered the original writings. The differences in overall form, measure numbers, tempi, meter, and harmony are listed. In addition, it is revealed which thematic additions, alterations, and omissions Hindemith includes.
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Paul Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber for Orchestra: A Historical and Analytical Perspective

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Bronisław Mirski (b. 1887 as Moszkowicz in Żyrardów near Warsaw, Poland – d. 1927 in El Paso, Texas) belongs to the substantial group of Polish émigré artists of Jewish origin. A violinist and conductor educated in Europe, he permanently settled in the United States at the end of 1914 under the name of Nek Mirskey and soon began working as a music director in movie theatres. He was in charge of the musical settings for elaborate artistic programmes composed of silent films as well as music and stage attractions. His first widely acclaimed shows were presented at the Metropolitan Theatre of Harry M. Crandall's chain in Washington, D.C. Based primarily on the American press of 1921–23, this article discusses Mirski's work methods and his involvement in improving the quality of live musical accompaniment for silent films. The work that he continued till the end of his life places him among the foremost musicians of the silent film era.
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Bronisław Mirski - Polish Music Director of the Silent Film Era

AHEAD OF PRINT

Volume 20 (2023): Issue 1 (December 2023)

Volume 19 (2022): Issue 1 (December 2022)

Volume 18 (2021): Issue 1 (December 2021) Pasticcio. Ways of arranging attractive operas

Volume 17 (2020): Issue 1 (December 2020)

Volume 16 (2019): Issue 1 (December 2019) Women-Composers in Poland

Volume 15 (2018): Issue 1 (December 2018) Deconstructing the Myth of Polishness in Music

Volume 14 (2017): Issue 1 (December 2017) ‘Warsaw Autumn’ International Festival of Contemporary Music

Volume 13 (2016): Issue 1 (December 2016) [Polish] Musicology Today

Volume 12 (2015): Issue 1 (December 2015) The Musical Languages of Contemporary Polish Composers: Self-Reflections

Volume 11 (2014): Issue 1 (December 2014) Oskar Kolberg

Volume 10 (2013): Issue 1 (December 2013) Musical Historiography in Poland. New Sources – New Methodologies

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