Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Guide to the Eighteenth-Century Italian Instrumental Music Manuscript Collection ARCHIVES ITALIAN MANUSCRIPTS.1
ARCHIVES ITALIAN MANUSCRIPTS.1  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Overview
 
Table of contents What's This?
Description
The collection contains works by a range of Italian composers from Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) to Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805) and date primarily from the last quarter of the 18th century. Included are approximately 990 manuscripts of 1062 compositions by 82 composers. Furthermore, there are 75 additional manuscripts of anonymous works, embellished variants from slow movements of concertos and sonatas, dance music, and music for social occasions. The music is dominated by three instrumental forms commonly used throughout the 18th century: trio sonata, solo sonata, and concerto. The collection contains 401 examples of sonata for violin and bass, 253 examples of violin concertos, and 237 trio sonatas. There are about 40 duos as well as 110 string quartets, designated as "sinfonia a 4." The collection also includes numerous unidentified scores and fragments of menuets and other short works.
Background
In the latter half of the 18th century Italian instrumental music influence carried throughout Europe, in large part, from northern Italy, beginning in Bologna and moving to Venice and Padua. Musicians from all over Europe traveled to Padua to develop their skills and were particularly influenced by Giuseppe Tartini. It was under his influence that a new school of violin performance developed which came to be known as "The School of the Nations" since the adherents were from many national backgrounds. Tartini devoted his life to performance, teaching, and writing treatises, but he also composed a large body of music, most of which remained unpublished at the end of his life and for many years thereafter. These works have existed in manuscript only, and it was common in Tartini's time for copyists to make copies for wide circulatation. Many of Tartini's manuscripts and those of his colleagues were prepared at the Cappella Antoniana in Padua since Tartini was employed at the Basilica of St. Anthony, and these manuscripts were kept in the archive there. However, during the 200 years that followed his death many of those manuscripts found their way into libraries in Paris, Vienna, and Marburg, and some have gone even further. The significance of the present collection is that it is the largest single body of works of the Tartini school preserved intact from the 18th century to the present day.
Extent
56 boxes 15 x 11 1/2 in.
Restrictions
Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Availability
Collection is open for research.