The Life of Rossini

thoven-indeed, in his numerous affairs of the heart, he seems always to have been met half wa

part of his career he was badly paid, he could always earn twenty or

he aspirations of Mozart; and he had (to use a favourite word of his) the

ked up the pieces and turned the best of them to account in building up and adorning some new work. This great artist and practical philosop

xtracted from it a magnificent chorus for his "Aureliano;" to be thence transplanted in another shape-when "Aureliano" in its turn had failed-to the "Barber of Seville." He also wrote for "Aureliano" an admirable overture, which

made one overture serve for three operas; and it is remarkab

Such interest as it does possess belongs entirely to the composer's artist

hich holds a corresponding place in the history of his comic operas, came "Aureliano in Palmira," which marks

not like Velluti's singing, and Velluti did not like Rossini's music; or, at least, did not like the composer's objec

r sopranists. "Velluti," the last of his order, went on singing for a dozen years afterwards, and Rossini from that time wrot

ced to it. What would Italian singers of the year 1813 have thought of "William Tell?" and how would their highly-decorative style have suited that simple, energetic, thoroughly dramatic music? T

ng of the nineteenth century, it can be shown by the very terms in which the praise is sounded that these

to have studied singing systematically at all. They have learned under a skilful professor so many parts-as

ar from studying parts, they sometimes did not even learn airs. To take an oft-quoted case, in which the extreme of the system seems to have been reached,

no more to learn! You are th

li have been able to make of a great dramatic part? What would a vocalist, taught as Caffarelli had been

take the part of Vasco di Gama in "L'Africaine," which he

he did with Velluti, and would have told him not

s and all, against Rossini, for whose music he nevertheless profes

, could he have thought of the revolution he has brought about,

but that of the singers would vigorously have opposed it. Loo

to choose between the two systems, he should decide

that Velluti should sing the cavatina of 'Aureliano' so that the author can scarcely recognise it himself. In that case

ter Scott's novels, temperaments in the North and in the South of Europe, the points of difference between French, English, and Italian society, &c., which, together with the inevitable, and, at first, rather striking appeals to the reader to throw the book on one side if he does not feel quite capable of appreciating it, are common to all the works of Stendhal-a most original writer, in spite of his curious plagiarisms in con

Rossini, or Rossini to Velluti; and his views on the subject as an Italian connoisseur

ven if restrained in regard to the body of the air, the vocalist was at least allowed to take some little liberties in the cadenza. Now cadenzas and everything

tion of "Aureliano in Palmira," is scarcely worth discussing. It may have been good practice for the singers of the eighteenth century to exercise themselves

would have no more to do with him, and told him to take his talent for "embroidery" elsewhere. He took it to Meyerbeer. Fancy Meyerbeer-the Meyerbeer of "Le Prophète"

to the beginning of the nineteenth century), "did not change the motive of their airs, wh

presenting the motive in all its simplicity, where

ntinues Carpani, "owed their glory to the system of the old composers, w

times languishing and lackadaisical in their delivery of slow sustained melody; and he applauds Rossini for introducing a brisker style of sentiment into serious opera. But Rossini's great objection to

interesting to notice that this was the only opera of Rossini's which pleased Lord Mount Edgcumbe. The old habitué like

i sing it, and was struck with admiration. At the second rehearsal Velluti began to embroider (fiorire). Rossini found some of his effects admirable, and still approved: but at the third rehearsal, the richness of the embroidery was such that it quite concealed the body of the air. At last the grand day of the first representation arrived. The cavatina and all Velluti's part were enthusiastically applauded, but Rossini could scarcely recognise what Velluti was singing; he did not know his own music. However, Velluti's singing was very beautiful and wonderfully successful with the public, which after all does no wrong in applauding what gives it so much pleasure. The pride of the young composer was deeply wounded; the opera failed, and the sopranist alone succeeded. Rossini's lively perception saw at once all that such an event could suggest. 'It is by a fortunate accident,' he said to himself, 'that Velluti happens to be a singer of taste;[8] but how am I to know that at the next theatre I write for I shall not find another singer who, with a flexible throat, and an equal mania for fioriture, will not spoil my music so as to render it not only unrecognisable to me, but also wearisome to the public, or at least remark

ranists were very great personages. When Caffarelli heard that the accomplished Farinelli had been made prime minister to the King of Spain, he is reported to have said: "He is a magnificent singer, and fully deserves the honour." The sopranis

s afterwards, Mr. Eben tells us ("Seven Years at the King's Theatre") that "Rossini being at this time engaged at Paris under h

sts, "who," says M. Castil-Blaze,[9] "were at all times extremely insolent. They forced the greatest masters to conform to their caprices. They changed, transformed everything to suit their own vanity. They would insist on having an air or a duet placed in such a scene, written in such a style, with such and such an accompaniment. They were the kings, the tyrants, of theatres, managers, and composers; that is why in the most serious works of the greatest masters of the last century long

ir shouting from the summits of mountains, and their plumes five feet high, were already approaching their last days. Still the great Velluti was in his vigour in