♫ Curiosity | Le Note | ROMAinCANTO ♫

The beginning of the note
(Inno a San Giovanni)

" Ut queant laxis Resonare fibris Mira gestorum Famuli tuorum Solve polluti Labii reatum Sancte Iohannes Â»

" Affinche' possano cantare con voci libere le meraviglie delle tue azioni i tuoi servi, cancella il peccato del loro labbro contaminato, o san Giovanni Â»

The fame of this hymn in Sapphic stanzas, written by monaco historian and poet Paul the Deacon, you have to Guido d'Arezzo, who use 'the first verse to draw the names of the notes of the hexachord 6. Guido d'Arezzo (ca. 992-1050 approx.) Create ', in fact, the first writing system intervallic, a writing, that', which was used to indicate the different pitches of the notes to sing, which he called 'tetragrammaton' cause signs inserted, which would later become the modern notes, in a grid consists of four parallel lines. This was the beginning of the use of the notes, in which the writing of the durations was obtained proportion that 'the length of a note was given in proportion to the other. Notes that were placed in the spaces and lines, check Guido 'names corresponding to the initial syllables of the first six verses of the hymn above have dedicated to St. John the Baptist as a memorandum for the students: the real innovation of Guido was that the first syllables of' anthem did not serve only to give a name to the notes, but also to give the pitch on. In this way a singer would sing a song at first sight never heard before by simply referring to the syllable hymn with the same pitch of the first note with which it began the song, to get an immediate idea of the tonic. At this store procedure Guido gave the name of solmization. In the years that followed, the tetragrammaton of Guido d'Arezzo, originally equipped with a variable number of lines, you would be stabilized on five lines, taking the name of the staff and the note Ut would have changed his name in laying the foundations of the notation Do modern music. The name of the note is not due to Guido D'Arezzo, but was added in the sixteenth century: in fact, Gregorian chant and medieval music in general, did not involve the use of sensitive, ie 'the seventh degree of the scale. No wonder, then, in the music of the hymn in question, that the initial note of the seventh and last line of the stanza does not continue the trend of ascending diatonic syllables of 6 previous verses (is not that 'a is, according to the modern notation, but a G). The name of the seventh note of the diatonic scale was taken from the initials of the two words making up the verse: (Sancte Iohannes = Yes). Ut Quéant laxis and 'liturgical hymn of Vespers of the solemnity' of the nativity 'of St. John the Baptist which falls on June 24. The hymn in the original version goes like this

Nuntius celso veniens Olympo te patri magnum fore nasciturum, nomen et vitae seriem gerendae ordine promit. Ille promissi dubius superni perdidit promptae modulos loquelae; sed reformasti genitus peremptae organa vocis. Ventris abstruso positus cubili senseras regem thalamo manentem, hinc parens nati meritis uterque abdita pandit. Antra deserti teneris sub annis civium turmas fugiens, petisti, ne levi saltim maculare vitam famine posses. Praebuit hirtum tegimen camelus, artubus sacris strofium bidentis, cui latex haustum, sociata pastum mella locustis. Caeteri tantum cecinere vatum corde praesago iubar adfuturum; tu quidem mundi scelus auferentem indice prodis. Non fuit vasti spatium per orbis sanctior quisquam genitus Iohanne, qui nefas saecli meruit lavantem tingere limphis. O nimis felix meritique celsi nesciens labem nivei pudoris, prepotens martyr heremique cultor, maxime vatum! Serta ter denis alios coronant aucta crementis, duplicata quosdam; trina centeno cumulata fructu te, sacer, ornant. Nunc potens nostri meritis opimis pectoris duros lapides repelle asperum planans iter, et reflexos dirige calles, ut pius mundi sator et redemptor mentibus pulsa luvione puris rite dignetur veniens sacratos ponere gressus. Laudibus cives celebrant superni te, deus simplex pariterque trine, supplices ac nos veniam precamur: parce redemptis!

Use the liturgical hymn is divided into more 'parts to be sung at different times so' the section that begins with "Antra deserts teneris sub annis 'and' own Matins, while the one that for the first verse," O nimis felix meritique celsi "is sung at Lauds. In recent times, the first verse of the second stanza and 'was changed to "Nuntius caelo veniens supreme" to delete the mention too pagan Olympus.

CURIOSITA' SACRE E... PROFANE
SANTA CECILIA - PATRON OF MUSIC IS PROBABLY HIS FAME TO INACCURACIES IN TRANSLATION

The only information on the earthly events of St. Cecilia are shown in the Passio Sanctae Ceciliae that, as all documents relating to the early Christian martyrs, contains elements of truth, 'mixed episodes associated with the popular imagination. And 'certain that the young Cecilia was a Roman noblewoman of the third century, converted to Christianity and friend of Pope Urban, who spent most of his prayer in the day, wearing a hair shirt under the rich clothes. The story also talks about a boyfriend, Valerian, that the groom 'without consummating the marriage, since' Cecilia had long since decided to consecrate herself to God and an angel watching over her purity. Convinced that his wife was right, even Valerian was converted 'as his brother Tiburcio and many others who had the good fortune to meet with Cecilia. The fame of the young coming 'soon to the authorities', so Turcius Almachio, prefect of Rome, he decided to get rid of this cumbersome presence. Initially try 'to remove it, without success, and burn it in the bath house. Later they decree 'decapitation, but after three shots, not able' to remove the head from the rest of the body. Cecilia, therefore, survived in agony for three days, during which time a further 'to urge all those who had converted and entrust them', together with the house and property, the Pope Urban. From this brief summary shows, apart from the strictly religious figure, such as lack of any link between the young girl and the music, which 'patron saint for centuries, and not' a case that, in the early iconography, the Saint appeared in the company of a palm tree or a crown, both symbols of martyrdom. Only in the late Middle Ages, his image began 'to be combined with a musical instrument, usually a portable organ. Everything would be born of a misunderstanding in the translation of the phrase, taken from the Passion and on the episode of the wedding, where it was stated that: "While playing musical instruments, the only virgin Cecilia sang to the Lord in his heart." Someone dropped the last three words, so that the text took on a completely different meaning, transformed into a singer Cecilia. However it happened, the combination of St. Cecilia and the music and 'proved successful, inspiring artists and composers, and most importantly, giving Santa a huge and lasting popularity even among the common people.

QUALCHE CURIOSITA'... SU AUTENTICI... CARATTERACCI

BRAHMS
It is said that one evening he made offensive comments on many of those present, then the act of going out, stopped at the door 'and said: "If it' s been here that I've failed to insult someone ... well, ask him to apologize!" Another episode sees him surrounded by chattering admirers, from which he could not escape in any way. Then he lit a cigar. The ladies were somewhat scandalized that allow you to send all the smoke in their faces. Some more 'audacious said, "Well, I mean! A gentleman does not smoke in the presence of nice ladies." And he, in the midst of its own smoke, "My dear sir, you know, where there are angels, there are also the clouds." While playing a Beethoven sonata with a cellist friend, one day, they asked him to operate the pedals of his piano with less enthusiasm. More '' soft ', and' complained, "I can not feel my cello.". "You're lucky," said Brahms.

HAENDEL
It was said that Handel had a gruff and impulsive character, mixed with a strong sarcasm. In fact, the evidence for Flavio sat at the harpsichord to accompany and a Tenor, not liking his way of keeping time, is restless' to the point of threatening to jump on the harpsichord and sfasciarlo. Handel replied, "Well, go ahead, but let me advertise a little 'thing, it would be a lot more people to see you jump rather than to hear you sing"

ROSSINI
It is said that he was somewhat dubious about Wagner. In fact, at the request of opinion that he's Lohengrin: "Well," he replied, "you can not 'judge a work on first listen. But of course I'm not going to listen to it again!" Also on the German colleague: "Wagner? Give beautiful moments., But also terrible quarters of an hour." Still on Wagner: A friend went 'to find Rossini and I' plan on the score of Tannhauser upside down. He asked our explanations and said, "Boh! I tried to play it straight, but you could not do anything, I turned, and it goes a lot better." The most 'fun' but 'this. Usually composers ended with an explicit classical compositions such as "Soli Deo gloria", "Amen" and the like. The manuscript of Rossini's Petite Messe solennelle ends with a formula like this: "Dear God, this and 'my poor mass. Thou knowest, O Lord, as I do, that I was born to write comic operas, and that my heritage consists of a little heart and even less science. Abbi therefore 'compassion and let me enter Paradise "!

ANEDDOTI

BACH
It is said that Bach once within 'in a room full of people where there was also his guest playing the harpsichord. Obviously Bach to see the guy get up 'right away, so messing' with your fingers and creating a lot of dissonant chord. Bach then rushed 'on the keys, resolved to fly the agreement in question and concluded with a suitable basis, and only after greeting' his guest!

ALAN BERGH
When they were first performed in Vienna in 1935, the first extracts from Lulu 'Alan Berg, the composer remembers a group of would-be critics in the audience, who shouted: "Long live Ciajcovskij!" "Poor boys!" Berg noted. "Their grandparents have acted the same way when it 'was performed in the same room to forty years ago, the fifth of Tchaikovksy, only then some shouted for Schubert."

LUCIANO BERIO
In October, 1981, the pacifist composer Luciano Berio gave a special outdoor concert in Orvieto, to promote peace. In conducting his last work, Berio has used a cannon to symbolize the terrible destructiveness' of the war. Unfortunately, the explosion 'was larger than expected and, when the smoke and' thinned out, one of those present and 'was found wounded, bloody, and severely upset, at a certain distance from his front row seat. The confusion that ensued 'was enormous. E. .. "This was supposed to happen," lamented 'Berio: "When I was trying to stop the war with my music!"