Tag Archives: Italy

by | April 16, 2025 · 6:00 am

New titles for RILM Abstracts with Full Text in 2025

RILM Abstracts with Full Text will add eight more titles to its full-text journal collection this summer. The new titles are:

Българско музикознание [B”lgarsko muzikoznanie/Bulgarian musicology]. Sofiâ: B”lgarskata Akademiâ na Naukite, Institut za Izkustvoznanie, 1977–. ISSN 0204-823X

The only academic periodical dedicated to music and musicology in Bulgaria, this journal was established in 1977 as a musicological series and has been published quarterly since 1981. It features scholarly articles that explore phenomena and developments across both Bulgarian and international musical cultures.

Canadian winds/Vents canadiens: Journal of the Canadian Band Association/Revue de l’Association canadienne des harmonies. Toronto: Canadian Band Association/Association Canadienne de l’Harmonie, 2002–. ISSN 1703-5295

The professional journal of the Canadian Band Association, this publication was first issued in the fall of 2002. It features a broad range of articles related to wind band activity, interpreted in an inclusive and expansive manner. Striving to balance scholarly inquiry with pedagogical relevance, the journal is designed to be accessible to all instrumental music educators. While its primary audience is Canadian and many articles address issues specific to the Canadian context, the journal maintains an outward-looking perspective, aiming to foster dialogue and engagement with the international wind band community.

Fontes artis musicae. Madison: A-R Editions, 1954–. ISSN 0015-6191

The journal publishes articles aligned with the aims of IAML, with a particular focus on international music librarianship, documentation, bibliography, audiovisual materials, and musicology.

関渡音樂學刊 [Guandu yinyue xuekan]/Kuandu music journal. Taibei: Guoli Taibei Yishu Daxue/Taipei National University of the Arts, 2004–. ISSN 1814-1889

Named after Guandu, the area of Taipei where the university is located, the journal has been in publication since 2004, and is published by the School of Music at Guoli Taibei Yishu Daxue (Taipei National University of the Arts, TNUA). It features scholarly articles on a range of topics, including musicology, ethnomusicology, compositional techniques, music theory, and music psychology.

Journal of Christian musicology. Ilé-Ifẹ̀: Obafemi Awolowo University, 2020–. ISSN 2782-8433

Published annually by the Christian Music Research Forum in collaboration with the Christian Music Institute and Research Centre–an academic NGO based in Nigeria–this journal responds to the growing need for a systematic study of Christian music in all its diversity and distinctiveness. It advances global scholarship and practice in Christian music by publishing research on its various forms, disseminating theoretical perspectives across genres, and promoting the performance and application of Christian repertoire in a range of social and cultural contexts.

– Liuteria, musica e cultura: Organo ufficiale dell’Associazione liutaria italiana. – Cremona: Associazione Liuteria Italiana, 2006–. ISSN 1825-7054

The official publication of the Associazione Liutaria Italiana (Italian Violinmaking Association), this journal supports the Association’s mission to promote and preserve the culture of violin making. It welcomes contributions from scholars whose research interests intersect with the field of violin making, as well as the broader domains of organology and musical scholarship. Membership in the Association is open to individuals engaged in these areas of study.

– Studi musicali. Firenze: Leo S. Oschki, 1972–2009. ISSN 0391-7789 and eISSN 2037-6413

The official publication of the long-established Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, dedicated to the field of music culture. While the journal leans toward historical musicological studies–particularly those related to Rome–it also encompasses a range of other disciplines, including music criticism, sociology, ethnomusicology, and analysis. Given its international circulation, the journal accepts submissions in widely used scholarly languages within the cultural and academic spheres.

– Studien zur Musikwissenschaft: Beihefte der Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich. Wien: Hollitzer Wissenschaftsverlag, 2017–. ISSN 0930-9578

Founded in 1913 by Guido Adler, this journal features studies closely related to the volumes of the Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich (DTÖ), along with methodological reflections on musical philology, articles on the history of music in Austria, and editions of relevant textual sources.

These additions exemplify RILM’s commitment to providing full-text content that is truly international in scope, with coverage that embraces a diversity of languages, nations, subject matter, and approaches to music research. RILM Abstracts of Music Literature with Full Text is a comprehensive bibliography of writings on music, featuring citations, abstracts, and indexes. It covers over one million publications from the early 19th century to the present on traditional music, popular music, jazz, classical music, and related subjects, enhanced with full text.

If you do not already subscribe to RILM Abstracts with Full Text, please reach out to your EBSCO sales representative, or email information@ebsco.com.

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by | April 13, 2025 · 6:00 am

Solfeggio’s rebirth

The study of 18th century music pedagogy in the Neapolitan region of Italy has seen a significant surge in interest within musicological research in recent years. This research has explored sources related to the practice of partimento since the late 20th century, and over time, has expanded to include materials on counterpoint and solfeggio. Solfeggio evolved throughout the 20th century into an exercise focused almost exclusively on musical reading–first spoken, then sung. A landmark modern and systematic study of the instructional duo between the 16th and 17th centuries is Andrea Bornstein‘s comprehensive monograph, followed by Robert O. Gjerdingen‘s works. Gjerdingen identifies a compositional framework within 18th century exercises, which he refers to as “schemata” and finds within the partimenti. His research demonstrates that both partimento and solfeggio, centered on the close relationship between bass and melody, can be considered foundational exercises for musician training since the 18th century.

Subsequent studies by scholars such as Paolo Sullo explored the role of solfeggio within the composition schools of various Neapolitan masters, carefully reconstructing and analyzing the production context and repertoire spanning from the era of Leonardo Leo to that of Nicola Zingarelli. The work of Nicholas Baragwanath, particularly his influential monograph The solfeggio tradition (2020), has sparked a revival of interest in 18th century solfeggio, reaching an expanding audience of musicologists and musicians. Baragwanath’s study highlights the deep connection between solfeggio and the practice of solmization on the hexachord, a practice that, in Italy, persisted until the 19th century. He identifies the enduring presence of this practice as being largely due to the central role of the Catholic Church, which continued to base the teaching of musical rudiments on hexachordal plainchant and the associated solmization system.

Leonardo Leo

For Baragwanath, the gradual abandonment of hexachordal solmization in favor of the French method of reading real sounds–where each note corresponds to a single syllable–marks a key factor in the gradual decline of the Italian bel canto tradition. In this context, hexachordal solmization emerges not only as a performance technique, which Baragwanath carefully reconstructs and applies to 18th century solfeggi, but also as an interpretative lens through which to understand the solfeggi themselves.

This according to a new article on solfeggio by Paolo Sullo in DEUMM Online.

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by | November 29, 2024 · 6:00 am

Neapolitan song and identity

With the unification of Italy, Naples lost its status as the capital, and following the devastating 1884 cholera epidemic, authorities launched a massive urban reorganization project similar to that of Paris. This overhaul largely obliterated the port districts, known as the “belly of Naples“, a dense network of alleys, warehouses, and narrow streets, which had been alive with cultural events, processions, collective rituals, and performances by storytellers, street actors, and barkers. The city’s historic urban fabric was replaced by modern, fast-flowing roads primarily designed for commercial purposes, marking what became known as the gutting of Naples—although, it also represented a redevelopment of the city. This transformation ushered in a dramatic shift in the city’s identity, turning it into a modern urban organism while leaving behind the image of the old, vibrant Bourbon capital. The changes also reshaped social dynamics, fostering the rise of a small bourgeoisie that, with a few exceptions, wholeheartedly embraced the national cause and capitalist development, which manifested in the realms of journalism, theater, painting, literature, and art song.

The poet Salvatore Di Giacomo was the driving force behind the emergence of the new Neapolitan art song. His poetry, set to music by composers such as Enrico De Leva, Mario Pasquale Costa, and Francesco Paolo Tosti, signaled a decisive break from previous traditions. This collaboration between respected scholars and accomplished composers established the foundation for what would come to be known as the “Neapolitan song”, marking the beginning of a new era in the genre.

Salvatore Di Giacomo

While Di Giacomo and his collaborators pioneered a new approach to song, the form of the song itself was evolving. It adopted a structure characterized by a verse-and-refrain format, and over time, this structure became more refined and simplified compared to Di Giacomo’s earlier, more elaborate courtly compositions. The new Neapolitan song emerged as a distinct form, better aligned with modern entertainment standards, and in an era of a burgeoning popular culture, this new song form proved to be a more versatile and adaptable genre, suitable for various settings, yet still preserving the lyrical and musical qualities that had defined earlier forms.

Neapolitan song was a key element in a broader, successful effort to redefine the image of a city that, after the unification of Italy, needed to forge a new identity. However, the city was burdened by long-standing issues, including a largely illiterate population with unstable employment. This population had swelled over the centuries due to the unique relationship between the urban elite and the rural peasantry in the Kingdom of Naples. A significant portion of this population consisted of common people, possessing a cohesive and resilient culture deeply rooted in pre-Christian, magical, and irrational traditions. This cultural foundation both influenced and clashed with the emerging new Neapolitan identity.

This according to the article of the week by Giovanni Vacca in DEUMM Online.

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by | October 28, 2024 · 6:00 am

RILM Launches DEUMM Online

RILM cordially invites you to join us for the release of DEUMM Online on Wednesday, 30 October 2024, at 7:30 pm CET / 1:30 pm EST. Co-sponsored by the Associazione fra i Docenti Universitari Italiani di Musica (ADUIM) and IAML-Italia, the event will take place in the Teatro Palladium auditorium in Rome, Italy.

Teatro Palladium, Ph. © Francesco Ciccone

DEUMM Online digitizes, enhances, and extends the Dizionario enciclopedico universale della musica e dei musicisti (DEUMM), the most important modern music dictionary in the Italian language. Comprising a broad range of entries (persons, topics, dances, genres, geographical locations, institutions, instruments, and works), DEUMM Online uses advanced and intuitive search and translation functionalities. This venerable music encyclopedia, which has set the standards in modern Italian music lexicography, is, in its new online format, once again an indispensable node in a comprehensive, international, networked research experience.

For those unable to join the Rome event in person, the event will be live streamed on YouTube by Fondazione Roma Tre Teatro Palladium, accessible directly from the following QR code:

The program (below) will include Daniele Trucco’s DEUMM-inspired music, greetings from Luca Aversano (President, ADUIM), Marcoemilio Camera (President, IAML Italia), and Tina Frühauf (Executive Director, RILM), as well as presentations by Zdravko Blažeković (Executive Editor, RILM), Stefano Campagnolo (Director, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma), Alex Braga (composer), and DEUMM Online’s general editors Antonio Baldassarre and Daniela Castaldo. Pianist Giuseppe Magagnino will also perform works by Ellington, Beethoven, The Beatles, and more.

And mark your calendars: DEUMM Online will be featured again at the following events:  

  • 19 November 2024: Turin, hosted by Istituto per i Beni Musicali di Piemonte at the Teatro Regio
  • 21 November 2024: Milan, hosted by the Archivio Storico Ricordi in the Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense

Hear more about DEUMM Online and download the DEUMM Online brochure and logo.

DEUMM Online trailer (Italian)

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Filed under 20th- and 21st-century music, Africa, Analysis, Antiquity, Asia, Australia and Pacific islands, Baroque era, Black studies, Central America, Classic era, Dance, Dramatic arts, Ethnomusicology, Europe, Film music, Geography, Iconography, Iconography, Instruments, Jazz and blues, Literature, Mass media, Middle Ages, Musicologists, Musicology, North America, Opera, Opera, Politics, Popular music, Religion, Religious music, Renaissance, RILM news, Romantic era, Sound, South America, Visual art, West Indies, World music

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by | August 14, 2024 · 6:00 am

Futurist art and the nonpitched machine

Luigi Russolo’s contributions to art and music extend beyond his well-known manifesto, L’arte dei rumori (The art of noises). While he has been celebrated for his theoretical and practical advancements in noise music, his role as a painter and his impact on futurist art are equally significant. As one of the signatories of the futurist painting manifesto (1910), Russolo was deeply involved in the early development of futurism, an artistic and social movement that celebrated modernity, technology, and the dynamism of contemporary life. His painting Treno in velocità (Speeding train), a pivotal work that reflects the futurist fascination with speed and technological progress, exemplifies this enthusiasm for capturing movement and modern machinery.

House+Light+Sky (1913)

In his paintings from this period, Russolo explored the themes of motion, not just through the depiction of machines like trains and automobiles, but also by capturing the energy of crowds of protesters and other dynamic urban scenes. This exploration extended well beyond visual art into the realm of sound, culminating in his manifesto on noise, where he argued for a broader appreciation of the everyday sounds of industrial and urban life.

Synthèse plastique des mouvements d’une femme (Plastic synthesis of a woman’s movements, 1912)

Russolo’s invention of the intonarumori (noise instruments) was a direct extension of his artistic principles. These instruments were designed to produce a variety of noises, challenging conventional notions of musicality and embracing the sounds of the modern world. His compositions for these instruments anticipated future developments in experimental music and had a lasting influence on composers like George Antheil, Edgard Varèse, and John Cage. Russolo’s work represented an innovative fusion of visual art and sound, reflecting the futurist ideals of embracing the new and the dynamic. His influence extended into music and remains a testament to his innovative spirit in both the visual and auditory domains.

This according to “Pasajes sonoros [y ruidistas] de la ciudad futurista” by Juan Agustín Mancebo Roca (Ausart aldizkaria: Arte ikerkuntzarako aldizkaria/Journal for research in art/Revista para la investigación en arte 9/1 [2021] 127–142; RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, 2021-16831). Also find the entry on Luigi Russolo in A dictionary of the avant-gardes (2001). Find it in RILM Music Encyclopedias.

The image at the beginning of this post is Russolo’s Dinamismo di un’ automobile (Dynamism of a car, 1913).

Below, the musician Mike Patton and Luciano Chessa test out reconstructed futurist noise machines based on intonarumori for an exhibit.

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by | October 20, 2023 · 6:00 am

A famous gondola song

La biondina in gondoletta is likely the most famous gondola song in Europe. The music had long been attributed to the German-born composer Johann Simon Mayr, whose authorship, however, can be ruled out. Until now, the composer of the tune has remained anonymous, but the lyrics in Venetian dialect were written by Antonio Lamberti and date back to the 1770s. They appear to address Contessa Marina Querini Benzon, whose salon near San Beneto in Venice, had been frequented by the poet and other local but also foreign artists and intellectuals.

Because of its salacious verses and wide dissemination, La biondina in gondoletta was prohibited during the Napoleonic occupation of Venice (1805–15). Nonetheless, the song with its catchy melody made a truly European career in the course of the 19th century. Abroad, it functioned as a symbol of Venetian vitality and Italian lightheartedness, combining stereotyped imaginations of an Italian national character with a nostalgic view of the glorious past. Many European composers worked with the melody of La biondina in gondoletta, cited it, or improvised on the theme. Beethoven, for instance, used the song, referring to it as the epitome of Venetian popular music, without ever traveling to Italy. Given the manifold versions and settings of the piece, it can be considered an early transnational hit song.

The astonishing success of La biondina in gondoletta continued into the 20th century, when it was used within the Festival Internazionale della Canzone di Venezia, held for the first time in July 1955. Six European nations, namely Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Monaco and France (or rather their radio stations), competed in this first edition of the popular song festival, which was broadcast in all participating countries. With a festive ceremony the song contest came to an end, when musicians of all six nations played La biondina in gondoletta together. In the following years, the custom of ending the event by intoning the famous gondola song was maintained, clearly demonstrating how La biondina in gondoletta, in the course of the 19th century, on a Europe-wide scale, had been deeply rooted in the collective memory as a clichéd musical symbol of Venice.

Read on in “La biondina in gondoletta: The transnational success story of a popular gondola song” by Henrike Rost, an essay included in the volume Popular song in the 19th century (Turnhout: Brepols, 2022).

Celebrate the La Biennale di Venezia (Venice Biennale) and the Biennale Musica 2023 (www.labiennale.org/en/music/2023) taking place in Venice October 16-29. Listen to a performance of La biondina in gondoletta below.

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by | March 19, 2018 · 6:00 am

Arie a voce sola de diversi auttori (Venice, 1656)

Issued by A-R Editions in 2018, Arie a voce sola de diversi auttori (Venice, 1656), a collection of secular monodies for voice and basso continuo, complements the edition of the contemporaneous sacred collection Sacra Corona (Venice, 1656), which A-R published in 2015. It contains short arias by various composers, some of whom had also contributed to Sacra Corona.

As in Sacra Corona, distinct Venetian and non-Venetian groups of composers can be identified within Arie a voce sola, and the printers, compilers, and dedicatees of both anthologies occupied similar social and economic milieus.

Arie a voce sola can be seen both as a continuation of the early seventeenth-century vogue for strophic arias, which were published in quantity in booklets during the first two decades of the century, and as the forerunner of the trend toward shorter operatic arias, observable in Venetian operas a few decades later.

Below, Maurizio Cazzati’s Mi serpe nel petto, one of the arias in the collection.

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by | July 4, 2015 · 6:00 am

Sacra corona (Venice, 1656)

Sacra corona

Sacra corona (Venice, 1656) (Middleton: A-R Editions, 2015) is a complete edition of the anthology Sacra corona (Venice: Magni, 1656), comprising solo motets for two and three voices with continuo by some of the foremost Venetian composers of the period and by four composers who worked in the papally controlled states on the Adriatic coast.

A detailed study of contemporary documents reveals possible reasons for this somewhat idiosyncratic choice of composers, finding them in the family history of the publisher, Bartolomeo Magni (descended from a dynasty of Ravennese musicians), and in contemporary political relations between Venice and the Papacy, the former being dependent on the latter for funding in its ongoing military campaign against the Turks.

Above, the cover of the 1656 anthology; below, O bone Jesu by Francesco Cavalli, one of the works preserved in it.

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by | February 27, 2013 · 1:00 am

Monumenta liturgiae et cantus

castel tirolo

Libreria Musicale Italiana launched the series Monumenta liturgiae et cantus in 2013 with I codici liturgici di Castel Tirolo by Marco Gozzi.

The volume presents facsimiles of sources used in Castel Tirolo, which was the historical seat of the counts of Tirolo and gave the region its name. Discussions of historical and musicological issues are also included.

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