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Guide to the Eighteenth-Century Italian Instrumental Music Manuscript Collection ARCHIVES ITALIAN MANUSCRIPTS.1
ARCHIVES ITALIAN MANUSCRIPTS.1
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Contributing Institution:
Hargrove Music Library
Title: Eighteenth-Century Italian Instrumental Music Manuscript Collection
Creator:
Duckles , Vincent H. (Vincent Harris), 1913-1985
Identifier/Call Number: ARCHIVES ITALIAN MANUSCRIPTS.1
Physical Description:
56 boxes
15 x 11 1/2 in.
Physical Description:
1 boxes
18 1/2 x 14 1/2 in. (oversize)
Date (inclusive): 1700-1805
Abstract: 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.
Language of Material: Titles and score markings are in Italian.
Collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was purchased in 1957 from a private collector.
Manuscripts are contained in folders within each box and arranged alphabetically by composer, and numerically by manuscript
number assigned by the creator of the collection. Manuscript numbers are preceded by "It." as a reference to "Italian manuscript."
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.
The published thematic catalog for this collection includes detailed information about instrumentation of each work, dimensions
of the pages, watermarks, color of ink, and designation of copyist.
Cf. "Introduction" to Thematic Catalog of a Manuscript Collection of Eighteenth-Century Italian Instrumental Music, by Vincent
Duckles and Minnie Elmer with the assistance of Pierluigi Petrobelli, published by University of California Press, 1963.
The collection was purchased by a private collector ca. 1950 from the Stecchini family of Bassano del Grappa (north of Padua).
There is no information regarding the time when the Stecchini family acquired the collection. However, there is evidence
suggesting that Antonio Bonaventura Sberti, a member of Tartini's circle, had owned the collection and gave it to Giacomo
Ziliotto, a violone player in Padua, sometime around 1814.
Eighteenth-Century Italian Instrumental Music Manuscript Collection, ARCHIVES ITALIAN MANUSCRIPTS 1, Hargrove Music Library,
University of California, Berkeley.
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.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted to the Curator of
Music Collections, Hargrove Music Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000.All requests for permission to publish,
reproduce or quote from materials in the collection must be discussed with the Curator of Music Collections, Hargrove Music
Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
University of California, Berkeley. Music Library.
Instrumental music -- 18th century
Manuscripts -- Italy
Tartini , Giuseppe, 1692-1770
Stratico, Michele, 1728-