Tags
commedia dell'arte, d'Alembert, Diderot, La Serva padrona, Pergolesi, Querelle des Bouffons, Rameau, Stabat Mater
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (4 January 1710, in Jesi – 16 or 17 March 1736, in Pozzuoli), whose real name was Draghi, was an Italian composer, an excellent violinist and an organist. His family had moved from Jesi to Pergola, hence the name Pergolesi.[i]
Pergolesi died at the age of 26, probably of tuberculosis. But, between the time he started to study music, c. 1720, at the Conservatorio dei Poveri at Naples and his death, a mere sixteen years had elapsed. Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) died at a young age, 35, as did Schubert (31 January 1797 – 19 November 1828), who died at the age of 31.
In 1732, Pergolesi was appointed mastro de cappella to the prince of Stigliano, and, in 1734, he became deputy maestro de cappella, in Naples.
Sacred Music
Pergolesi was such a fine violinist and composer that, during his own life time, he was called the “divine,” by his followers. For musicologists, he is, first and foremost, the composer of the Serva padrona (“The Maid turned Mistress”), an opera buffa, or comic opera, composed in 1733. But if we exclude the circumstances that made his opera buffa and its composer famous, he is remembered mainly for his Stabat Mater, a sacred work he composed the year he died, in 1736.
The Stabat Mater was commissioned by the Confraternità dei Cavalieri di San Luigi di Palazzo, a group of pious and generous gentlemen. However, by 1736, Pergolesi had also written a Mass in F and his long and very mature Magnificat in C major. In Naples, he composed his Mass in D and his celebrated Stabat Mater.
Pergolesi also composed instrumental music: a violin sonata, a violin concerto, a concerto for flute, and other instrumental works. But doubt lingers concerning the authorship of some of the instrumental music attributed to him. Investigators are at work.
Operas
So, we now come to his operas. In Naples, Pergolesi had written Lo frate’nnmmorato, an opera buffa (comic opera). But he had also composed an opera seria (serious) entitled Il Prigioner superbo (The Proud Prisoner), a work which contained a two-act comedia buffa, La Serva padrona (The Maid turned Mistress). It is this opera buffa that made him a celebrity, albeit posthumously.
La Serva padrona, an intermezzo, was in no way subversive It had been composed to a libretto (the words) by Gennaro Antonio Federico who gleaned some of his material from a play by Jacopo Angello Nelli. In fact, not only was it not subversive, but it had already been performed in Paris, on October 4th, 1746, without attracting much attention.
La Serva Padrona and the “Querelle des Bouffons” (video, here and below)
But in 1752, circumstances had changed. For one thing, the August 1st, 1752 performance of La Serva padrona (“The Servant turned Mistress”) took place at the most elegant venue in Paris: the Opera, or the Académie royale de musique. Moreover, it was performed before an élite audience. As a result, this one performance led to an unpredictable two-year quarrel (1752-1754) that opposed the most brilliant minds among the “lumières,” including d’Alembert, Diderot and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778). But Rousseau is the person who threw the first stone, except that the “querelle” was a paper war.
Sense and Sensibility
The “Querelle des Bouffons,” or “Quarrel of the comic actors,” was indeed a paper war. It took the form of an exchange of letters and pamphlets, totalling sixty-one documents, all written by the most erudite “philosophes” of the French Enlightenment, not to mention a bevy of salonniers and salonnières. It was the event of the century, prior to the French Revolution.
—ooo—
Yet, it would not be altogether fair to give circumstances the leading role in the “querelle.” Pergolesi’s Serva padrona is an opera buffa, but it had been composed by Pergolesi, the “divine,” and talent supersedes genre. In other words, the performance of the Serva padrona was a catalyst in the “querelle,” but it is unlikely that a lesser opera buffa would have unleashed a fury. No greater compliment was ever paid Pergolesi. The Serva padrona was so delightful an opera buffa, that Geneva-born French encyclopédiste and musician Jean-Jacques Rousseau could use it to oppose French opera.
There had long been tension between Italian music and French music, then dominated by Jean-Philippe Rameau, the author of a Treatise on Harmony, published in 1722. As you know from an earlier blog, this treatise remains authorative. But although the “querelle ” could be considered as yet another battle in the war between French “ramistes,” the name given supporters of Rameau, on the one hand, and lovers of Italian opera and commedia dell’arte, on the other hand, it may be best to suggest that it opposed reason and sentiment, or sense and sensibility.
The supremacy of reason had been disputed by Pascal, among other thinkers, but since the publication of Descartes‘s Discours de la méthode, in 1637, the fashion for sentiment had suffered. Although Voltaire (b. François-Marie Arouet), 21 November 1694 – 30 May 1778, was extremely witty and entertaining, as a philosopher, he was an advocate of reason. Be that as it may, Rousseau rather enjoyed shedding a tear or two at the opera, as did a substantial number of his companions involved in the “querelle.”
—ooo—
In short, because Pergolesi’s Serva padrona was exquisite in its genre, it was the perfect weapon in a war against “ramistes,” which means that if sentiment and the Italians won that particular battle, the “querelle” also constituted abundant praise of Pergolesi’s talent. Without this weapon of choice, the Serva padrona, there may never have been a “Querelle des Bouffons” for sheer lack of ammunition.
Claude Gillot (28 April 1673 – 4 May 1722)
YouTube allows one to listen to and to view the Serva padrona in its entirety, but Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater remains the centrepiece. I hope you enjoy listening to some music composed by a forever young Pergolesi who died in poverty in a Franciscan monastery, at Pozzuoli, near Naples.
—ooo—
(please click on title to hear music)
- The “Querelle des Bouffons” (comments in Italian about the commedia dell’arte)
- Pergolesi – Violin Concerto in B Flat Major – Mov. 1/3
- Pergolesi – Violin Concerto in B Flat Major – Mov. 2&3/3
- Pergolesi – Konzert G-Dur für Flöte und Orchester 1
- Pergolesi – Konzert G-Dur für Flöte und Orchester 2
- Pergolesi – Konzert G-Dur für Flöte und Orchester 3
- Pergolesi – Laudate pueri Dominum (2)
- Pergolesi – Salve Regina in C minor (1)
- Pergolesi – Stabat Mater, Jaroussky & Gens
- Pergolesi – Magnificat in C Major
- Pergolesi – La Serva padrona -II
[i] “Giovanni Battista Pergolesi.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia BritannicaOnline. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2011. Web. 20 Dec. 2011. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/451597/Giovanni-Battista-Pergolesi>.
composer: Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (4 January 1710 –16 or 17 March 1736 piece: Stabat Materperformers: London Symphony Orchestra, 1985 Margaret Marshall, Soprano; Lucia Valentini Terrani, Contralto conductor: Claudio Abbado © Micheline Walker 20 December 2011 WordPress Scène, Claude Gillot
dimplex cs3311 reviews said:
Iím not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your sites really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back in the future. All the best
LikeLike
Cheap Name brand products,Moncler Down Jackets,Nike Air Jordans, Air Max Shoes,Ralph Lauren POLO shirts,Designer bags, Oakley sunglasses,New Era caps,Sunglasses,Monster Beats Headphones. said:
You will find some intriguing points in time in this article but I do not know if I see all of them center to heart. There’s some validity but I will take hold opinion till I look into it further. Great post , thanks and we want more! Added to FeedBurner as well
LikeLike
Jane Mauffray said:
Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is great, let alone the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
Verlene Sturdivant said:
Wow, marvelous blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is magnificent, as well as the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
facetime for android said:
Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is wonderful, let alone the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
facetime for android iphone said:
Excellent post at A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Very useful information specially the last part 🙂 I care for such info much. I was seeking this certain info for a long time. Thank you and good luck.
LikeLike
irobot 4230 battery said:
Hey there! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Many thanks
LikeLike
hitachi rb24eap best price said:
I am curious to find out what blog system you’re utilizing? I’m experiencing some small security problems with my latest site and I’d like to find something more risk-free. Do you have any solutions?
LikeLike
esp8xl said:
Good day! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading through your articles. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that cover the same subjects? Thank you!
LikeLike
washing scams said:
Good info. Lucky me I came across your blog by chance (stumbleupon). I’ve saved as a favorite for later!
LikeLike
Mickey Demaggio said:
Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is wonderful, let alone the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
Jayne Hammerstone said:
Nice post at A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Extremely useful information specifically the last part 🙂 I care for such info a lot. I was looking for this particular info for a very long time. Thank you and best of luck.
LikeLike
download android market software said:
Wow, awesome blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is wonderful, let alone the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
download android market apk said:
Nice post at A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Very helpful information particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such info a lot. I was looking for this certain info for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.
LikeLike
facetime for android said:
Nice post at A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog. I was checking continuously this blog and I’m impressed! Very useful info specially the last part 🙂 I care for such info a lot. I was seeking this certain information for a long time. Thank you and best of luck.
LikeLike
weber 721001 smokey mountain smoker said:
I’m truly enjoying the design and layout of your site. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a developer to create your theme? Exceptional work!
LikeLike
facetime app for android said:
Great post at A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Very helpful information particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such info a lot. I was looking for this particular info for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.
LikeLike
zombiesmash apk said:
Great post at A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed! Extremely helpful information particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such information much. I was looking for this certain information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.
LikeLike
facetime for android phones said:
Great post at A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed! Very useful information specially the last part 🙂 I care for such information a lot. I was seeking this certain info for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.
LikeLike
black and decker spcm1936 parts said:
Greetings from Colorado! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to check out your website on my iphone during lunch break. I love the knowledge you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m amazed at how quick your blog loaded on my cell phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, wonderful site!
LikeLike
nb-g100p ebay said:
Appreciating the persistence you put into your site and detailed information you provide. It’s great to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed information. Excellent read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
LikeLike
zombie smash apk said:
Great post at A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Very helpful information specifically the last part 🙂 I care for such info much. I was looking for this particular info for a very long time. Thank you and best of luck.
LikeLike
breville je98xl juicer review said:
Wow! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It’s on a totally different subject but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Wonderful choice of colors!
LikeLike
Mattie Ellerson said:
Wow, awesome blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is magnificent, as well as the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
baju bayi said:
Wow, incredible blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is wonderful, as well as the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
baju hansop bayi said:
Hey there, You have done an incredible job. I’ll certainly digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I’m confident they will be benefited from this site.
LikeLike
Delmar Bason said:
What i don’t understood is in fact how you are now not actually a lot more smartly-preferred than you may be now. You’re very intelligent. You realize therefore considerably when it comes to this subject, made me in my opinion imagine it from so many various angles. Its like men and women don’t seem to be fascinated unless it is something to accomplish with Woman gaga! Your personal stuffs excellent. All the time handle it up!
LikeLike
Teachers Day Quotes for kids said:
Wow, amazing blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is wonderful, as well as the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
Jody Gullixson said:
Wow, incredible blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is wonderful, as well as the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
Cornelius Gutieres said:
Pretty! This has been an extremely wonderful post. Thanks for supplying this info.
LikeLike
schwinn 431 reviews said:
This design is wicked! You obviously know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
LikeLike
el6984a said:
Hi there are using WordPress for your site platform? I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and create my own. Do you require any html coding expertise to make your own blog? Any help would be really appreciated!
LikeLike
grp106qpgr user manual said:
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was wondering what all is required to get setup? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100% positive. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers
LikeLike
weber 751001 parts said:
Cool blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog stand out. Please let me know where you got your theme. Appreciate it
LikeLike
cuisinart dfp14bcn food processor said:
Hey there, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog site in Opera, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, wonderful blog!
LikeLike
Florentina Stigler said:
Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is excellent, as well as the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
Teachers Day Quotes in tamil said:
Magnificent goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you’re just extremely magnificent. I actually like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you are stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I can’t wait to read far more from you. This is actually a great site.
LikeLike
Royce Mcghin said:
This is very interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your great post. Also, I’ve shared your website in my social networks!
LikeLike
kfp740cro said:
Hi are using WordPress for your blog platform? I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and set up my own. Do you need any html coding knowledge to make your own blog? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
LikeLike
michelinewalker said:
No, you do not need to know HTML. I have difficulty with computors, yet I publish a blog. Best regards, M
LikeLike
dyson dc33 attachments said:
Thanks for one’s marvelous posting! I really enjoyed reading it, you can be a great author.I will ensure that I bookmark your blog and definitely will come back in the foreseeable future. I want to encourage that you continue your great posts, have a nice holiday weekend!
LikeLike
Earlean Scoby said:
Wow, incredible blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is fantastic, let alone the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
Teachers Day Quotes in tamil said:
Wow, incredible blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is excellent, as well as the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
Fernando Jago said:
Wow, marvelous blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is great, let alone the content!. Thanks For Your article about A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog .
LikeLike
baju bayi said:
Excellent post at A Portrait of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Micheline Walker's Blog. I was checking continuously this blog and I’m impressed! Extremely helpful info particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such info a lot. I was looking for this particular info for a long time. Thank you and best of luck.
LikeLike
Oswaldo Demeo said:
Heya i am for the first time here. I came across this board and I find It really useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something back and aid others like you helped me.
LikeLike
Alec Pyburn said:
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your web site provided us with valuable information to work on. You have done a formidable job and our entire community will be grateful to you.
LikeLike
se400 embroidery machine said:
This design is incredible! You certainly know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Excellent job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
LikeLike
Kyong Zabek said:
I used to be able to find good advice from your articles.
LikeLike
Brittany Scozzari said:
What an uplifting story. I hope to the finest for everyone involved. Gorgeous “post” GTO, too. Thanks, Hemmings, for bringing this tale to us.
LikeLike
breville 800cpxl die cast stainless steel motorized citrus press said:
Good day! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog. Is it difficult to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick. I’m thinking about setting up my own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you have any tips or suggestions? Many thanks
LikeLike