Conservatorio of San Pietro a Majella: The musical instrument collections

electa napoli

artistic guide

the conservatorioof san pietro a majellamusical tradition and art history heritage

The formation of the collections

The museum of musical instruments of theConservatorio di San Pietro a Majella wasinaugurated in 1925. The event was recordedby the institute’s treasurer, Ettore Santagata,who together with Francesco Cilea, directorfrom 1915 to 1925, was tireless in conservingand promoting a heritage which had up untilthen been sadly misused: “[…] The presentillustrious Director, Maestro Francesco Cilea,[has] been able to set out all these resplendenttestimonies, with passionate expertise, in aroom which, while not spacious, is mostelegant, opened to the public on 3 December1925”. This event finally put a stop to the stateof neglect which had been denounced onmore than one occasion by the Commissarioregio Alberto Salvagnini: “The Conservatoriohas no museum of old instruments. At varioustimes whatever it did have in the way ofhistorical objects, instruments included, wassold off and dispersed. It is said that one pastadministration made a point of selling off oldviolins in order to replace them with newones! However this may be, there is now a fairamount of material for at least starting up amuseum”. This appeal, which came after theengineer Gaetano Romano had drawn upseveral projects for the layout of the collectionthat had never been acted on, was matched bya more concrete approach on the part of Cilea.A covering letter dated 23 December 1921,accompanying the despatch to the Ministry ofInstruction of two reports “concerning theanticipation of 9500 lire for the creation of theMusical Museum”, was the first official acttowards setting up a permanent exhibition ofmusical instruments. In Cilea’s words, situated“in an elegant, intimate little room”, they wereto constitute “the embryo of a greatNeapolitan Museum of the future”.In 1877, among considerations on theNeapolitan organological patrimony in

general, Michele Ruta, Maestro di cappella inNaples, affirmed: “the Museum of Naples has acollection [of musical instruments] whichalthough confused is very prestigious”, andspoke of the creation of a “musical Museum,to conserve all the old instruments, and wherenew instruments should be deposited for thebenefit of posterity”. However there is nodoubt that the merit really goes to FrancescoFlorimo, ‘custodian’ of several fine musicalinstruments, and also to the passionatededication of such collectors ante-litteram asDuca Ernesto Del Balzo, who donated no lessthan 58 musical instruments of striking varietyand technical accomplishment.In fact the instrument collections of theConservatorio were seen as symbolising thecity’s musical tradition stretching fromGesualdo da Venosa, through the ancientConservatori and the prolific seasons of the18th and 19th centuries, down to suchcomposers as Nicola D’Arienzo and GiuseppeMartucci who took the city’s musical life intothe 20th century. More immediately theyexpressed the emerging interest in organologyand antiquity: as Renato Meucci points out,these were the years of the creation of thecollections in the Conservatori of Milan,Parma, Florence and Palermo, as well asmunicipal collections in Turin (PalazzoMadama), Modena (Museo Civico), Bologna(Museo Civico) and Venice (Museo Correr) andprivate institutions like the AccademieFilarmoniche in Verona and Bologna, orcollections such as those of the tenorEvangelista Gorga, which went to form theMuseo Nazionale in Rome, and Natale Gallini,incorporated into the Civiche Raccolte in theCastello Sforzesco, Milan.

The exhibitions

Since the 1930s the museum has beenresponsible for a number of inspiring culturalinitiatives. The first was supposed to be an

the musical instrument collectionsluigi sisto

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exhibition under the aegis of the MaggioMusicale Fiorentino and the City of Florence in1936, featuring 21 stringed instruments, but itwas first postponed and then cancelled. Anexhibition was held in May-October of thefollowing year as part of the “Celebrations forthe 200th anniversary of Stradivari”, followedby a “Historical exhibition of the Teatro SanCarlo” in Castel Nuovo in 1940, and a furtherone in 1963 dedicated to Stradivari’s output aspart of the Settimane Musicali di Stresa. Theinauguration of the Centre of Production ofthe Italian broadcasting company, RAI, inNaples, also in 1963, was the occasion for thefirst exhibition outside the Conservatorio ofwind instruments by celebrated 19th centuryNeapolitan makers: Gennaro Bosa, GiosuèEsposito and the Majorano brothers, followedby an exhibition in 1967 in the RAI Auditoriumin via Marconi. Two international exhibitionsfeaturing instruments from the Neapolitancollection were held in Cremona, the cradle ofthe art of violin-making: the InternationalExhibition of the Bow, 5-23 October 1985, andthe Stradivari Celebrations in 1987.More recently a temporary exhibition wasstaged in 1995 to celebrate the 200thanniversary of the founding of the library, theforerunner of a number of initiatives based oncloser collaboration with the Soprintendenzaai Beni Artistici e Storici di Naples. This wasfollowed in April 2002 by the presentation of47 musical instruments and archivedocuments as part of an exhibition featuring“The Museum of Music”, and a study day on“The collection of musical instruments of theConservatorio di San Pietro a Majella:considerations and suggestions for a newexhibition”, both promoted by the AccademiaOrganistica Campana. December 2003 saw theexhibition of some instruments in the XIbiennale of “Violin-making in the South ofItaly”, held in Ortona, and six instrumentsincluded in the exhibition, seen in Naples and

Parma, dedicate to Gaspare Traversi, aNeapolitan artist of the 18th century. In spring2007 an exhibition was held in Salzburg, at theinstigation of Riccardo Muti, whereinstruments were displayed alongsidepaintings and music manuscripts, all from theConservatorio. Lastly, in December 2007, anexhibition featuring the viola d’amore inNaples, as part of the XIII biennale of “Violin-making in the South of Italy”, included twospecimens by Vincenzo Postiglione.

Stringed instruments

Keyboard instruments, with pluckedand struck strings

The prize specimens in the collection havealways been the keyboard instruments. A fineexample is the two manual harpsichord madeby Andreas Ruckers, bearing the inscriptionAndreas Ruckers me fecit Antwerpiae anddated 1636. On the basis of a technicalrestoration report and clarifications suppliedby Grant O’Brian, Franco Barucchieri hasaffirmed that it is a composite instrument,using the sound board from an old virginalmade by Andreas Ruckers senior (1579-1651or 1653) and given its present form in Francein the mid-18th century. It has elegantdecorations in red enamel with floral motifsround the sides of the chest, reflecting the18th century vogue for chinoiseries.In addition to the Ruckers harpsichord thecollection boasts one more particularly oldkeyboard instrument, a transverse spinettemade in Italy in the 17th century. It has nostand, and unlike many contemporaryinstruments does not have dual keys, while itdoes have the usual lower octave.The museum’s table pianofortes give astimulating insight into the golden age ofNeapolitan music in the 18th century. Oneparticularly elegant example is the instrument

66 the conservatorio of san pietro a majella

that belonged to Domenico Cimarosa, made byAdam Beyer (London 1780) and presented tothe composer by Catherine II of Russia. On hisdeath it was purchased by Giuseppa Betbezéfor her daughter Carolina Pigonati di Andrea,the wife of Domenico Cefaly of Cortale, anddonated to the Real Collegio di San Pietro aMajella by Andrea Cefaly through the goodoffices of Francesco Florimo.A highly symbolic pianoforte is the onebelonging to Giovanni Paisiello. Made in SaintPetersburg by M. Kirschnick in 1781, this toowas presented to the composer by Catherine IIof Russia. According to Santagata, Paisielloused it in composing his immortal Nina pazzaper amore, first performed by themezzosoprano Celeste Coltellini at the Teatrodei Fiorentini in Naples. This instrument, theproperty of the Real Albergo dei Poveri, wasdonated to the Conservatorio in May 1926through the good offices of Francesco Cilea. Itwas recently restored, together with the Beyerpianoforte, and put on temporary view inSaint Petersburg on the initiative of the EnteTeatrale Italiano.The museum also owns an authenticmasterpiece by Johann Andreas Stein(Heidelstein 1728-Augsburg 1792), a makermuch admired by Mozart: the three manualpianoforte and harpsichord, made in 1783 anddonated the following year by the Austrianemperor Joseph II to the Conservatorio diSanta Maria della Pietà dè Turchini. Santagataaffirms it was played by Paisiello, Fenaroli,Tritto and Zingarelli; Florimo looked after itjealously. It has two pianoforte keyboardsplaced “vis à vis” and a harpsichord keyboardwhich can be played by itself or together withthe pianoforte.The baby grand piano made in Vienna by CarlStein for Saverio Mercadante is another highlysymbolic instrument. The sound board isinscribed in pen: “On this pianoforte the Oath,the Corsaire, the Vestal were conceived –

February 1847 – Saverio Mercadante”. Itbelonged to Giovanni d’Avenia, and Santagatarecords that it was sold to Ernesto Del Balzofor donation to the Conservatorio, whereMercadante had served as both teacher anddirector.One more table pianoforte in the collectionwas made by the Elli brothers in Milan in 1799.It shows refined craftsmanship with anEnglish action, and a five octave keyboard inivory and ebony. Then there is a preciousvertical pianoforte made by GiacomoFerdinando Sievers (Saint Petersburg 1810-Naples 1878), who settled in Naples in 1834.This was a fertile period for pianoforte makingin Naples which has only recently beenrediscovered. Sievers was also the author of aparticularly detailed treatise on instrumentmaking: Il Pianoforte. Guida pratica perCostruttori, Accordatori, Dilettanti e Possessoridi Pianoforti, Naples 1868. Among thepianofortes that belonged to famousmusicians we can mention the fine studyinstruments of Rossomandi and Martucci, plusan Erard concert instrument used by the latter.There is also a celeste by Schedmayer and afine fortepiano, by the Viennese maker ConradGraf, which belonged to Luisa Marsullo deColellis and was donated to the Conservatorioby Pasquale Del Vecchio.The great 19th century vogue for thepianoforte has bequeathed other relics such asthe work table pianino by Giovanni Heichele(Trieste, early 19th century). Small-size orminiature instruments were placed insidetables, writing desks and various pieces offurniture. The pianino was the most commontype and had a drawer, probably used forsewing accessories. Then there is a pianofortewith glass xylophones, known as a glass-chord, with rotating glasses, for which Mozartwrote the Adagio e Rondò K617 in 1791.The splendour of Neapolitan organ building inthe 18th century is represented by the positive

67le collezioni di strumenti musicali


Andreas Ruckersil Vecchio(1579-1651 o ’53)CembaloAnversa 1636Donazione Ernesto Del Balzo

organ made by Francesco Cimmino (Naples,second half 18th century), a member of one ofthe most celebrated families of organ buildersin Naples. From the dynasty’s founder in theearly 18th century, Felice, through to the lastrepresentative, Francesco, the instrumentsbear the monogram FC, imprinted in ink on thecentral pipe in the façade. The continuityseems only to have been broken off in the19th century, at the time of Alessandro andAntonio Cimmino.

Stringed instruments, bowed

The history of this category of instrumentmaking in Naples stretches from the secondhalf of the 18th century to the first half of the20th, and features fine examples of violins,violas, violoncelli, contrabbassi and violed’amore. The leading makers include AntonioMariani, known as “il Pesarino”, a pupil ofGiovanni Paolo Maggini, present with a violada gamba; Petrus Zaxura, active in Brixen inthe first years of the 17th century, with avioloncello dated 1600, and the VenetianMattia Goffriller, also with a violoncello dated1708. According to the wishes of the donor,Silvio Rispoli, since 1916 this instrument hasbeen on view together with a copy made byVincenzo Postiglione. Two other outstandingvioloncellos are by Alessandro Mezzadri, madein Ferrara in 1718, donated by Del Balzo, andGiuseppe Ornati, of striking beauty, made inMilan in 1922 and a prize winner at thenational competition held by the AccademiaFilarmonica Romana the following year.The Neapolitan school is represented bynumerous instruments made by members ofthe Gagliano family: Ferdinando (Naples 1724-1781), with a fine violin; Giovanni I (Naples,1740-1806), a viola apparently dated 1806;the latter’s two sons, Raffaele and Antonio(Naples 1790-1857 and 1791-1860), with alarge number of examples, and Vincenzo(Naples 1840-1887), the last descendant in the

business, here with a violoncello dated 1873.Instruments made by the Neapolitan LorenzoVentapane (Naples 1790-1843) came to amysterious end: an inventory of musicalinstruments kept in the museum, probablydrawn up at the end of the 19th century andpublished elsewhere, speaks of no less than 24of his violoncelli, while today we have onlytwo or three of dubious attribution. There areseveral instruments by Vincenzo Postiglione(Naples 1831-1919), one of the best knownmakers from the last part of the 19th centuryand prize winner at the Milan exhibition in1881. In his instruments we see formalaccomplishment matched by absolutetechnical mastery, resulting in such perfectcreations as the copy of the Goffriller or oneof the contrabbassi. He combined technicalperfection with a predilection for the antique,seen in two viole d’amore, one with a strikingshape. In this respect Postiglione reflected themore general rediscovery of ancient musicwhich in Neapolitan performances of works byPalestrina, Marenzio, Gesualdo da Venosa andStradella, was not merely ‘memory’ or‘retrieval’ of the past, but was rather, asAgostino Ziino has put it in tracing acomprehensive picture of the fortunes of earlymusic in Naples from Tinctoris onwards, “amusical experience which has its roots in thepast thanks to a continuous, never interruptedperforming tradition”.

Stringed instruments, plucked

In Naples the construction of plucked stringedinstruments goes back a long way. Recentstudies I have been able to carry out show thatthis was the province of German instrumentmakers who immigrated to Naples fromFüssen in Bavaria from the mid-16th centuryonwards. In the city they had a socialrepresentation in the confraternity of SantaMaria dell’Anima dei Tedeschi, situated in theSeggio di Porto. This area became synonymous


with violin-making and related crafts, in thevicinity of Rua Catalana and not far from whatwas to become the seat of one of the oldestConservatori, Santa Maria della Pietà de’Turchini, where the music making was to beinfluenced by contact with the Germans inNaples.Subsequent developments in the craftmaintained the German stylistic characteristicswhile incorporating Mediterranean typologies.While the collection of the Conservatorio doesnot feature any specimens from an early date,it does have various 18th century instrumentswhich are authentic ‘marvels of sonority’,notably the mandole dating from the secondhalf of the century, a riot of colour with theirdecorations in ebony, mother of pearl andtortoiseshell, donated in June 1929 by RaffaeleCalace to the director Francesco Cilea.The collection features instruments by GiovanBattista Fabricatore (Naples 1745 ca. - post1824), who had his studio at 32 Strada diSanta Maria dell’Ajuto, the second generationof one of the foremost families in this line,and numerous specimens by another family,Calace, famous for producing plectra from theearly 19th century onwards when, on accountof the political upheaval in the Kingdom ofNaples, Nicola Calace (Pignola 1794-Naples1859) took refuge on Procida, where he learntthe rudiments of guitar making. The familyinterest in making mandolins was due toAntonio Calace (Naples 1828-1876), who wona prize in the Universal Exhibition held inPalermo in 1872, and was perfected byRaffaele Calace I, who studied composition atthe Conservatorio under Paolo Serrao andFrancesco Ancona.In this case too the symbolic value of theinstruments in the collection vies with theirquality. The elegance of the workmanship inthe Milanese mandolin by Fidele Barnia, madein Venice in 1762, which we learn fromSantagata belonged to Amina Boschetti and

was donated by Francesco Florimo, is apparentin the finely fretted hole and the shell,comprising 15 strips of ivory interspersed witha double thread of ebony and ivory intermixed.The section of guitars can boast a preciousinstrument by Joseph Panormo (Naples 1768-London 1834), dating from the time he spentin London, when he was a close friend of theSpanish guitarist Fernando Sor, who lived inLondon from 1815 to 1823. The instrument,with a sound board in deal featuring anelegant sequence of mother of pearl discsinlaid in the darker wood, repeated round thehole, was donated by the singer BarbaraMarchisio to the librarian Rocco Pagliara.

Harps

A jewel of the collection is the famousdiatonic harp made by Antonio Stradivari(Cremona 1644-1737), one of very few harpshe is known to have produced. It was made in1681 entirely in poplar, and donated byFrancesco Florimo. This section also featuresinstruments by Sébastian Erard (Strasburg,1752-Passy 1831) on the ‘Greek’ model withdouble action, showing technical maturitycombined with a classical refinement andelegance. The collection owes its variety tosome unusual portable instruments: aeolianharps, very common in the first half of the19th century, whose sound production isdetermined by variations in a current of air,and a diatonic arpa viggianese with 34 strings,which belonged to Ernesto Del Balzo. This harptestifies to a musical and literary culture thatspread from the small town of Viggiano inLucania throughout the world. The only otherrecords of this culture are written accountsleft by the wandering harpists, such as CesareMalpica and Pietro Paolo Parzanese (fromIrpinia), reproductions in 18th centuryNeapolitan crib scenes, and photographicrecords in the Library of Congress in Washington.



Adam BeyerPianoforte a tavoloLondra 1780, donato a Domenico Cimarosa da Caterina II di RussiaDonazione Andrea Cefalydi Cortale

Johann Andreas Stein(Heidelstein 1728-Augsbourg 1792)Pianoforte e cembaloAugsbourg 1783Donazione di Giuseppe IId’Austria del 1784 alConservatorio di SantaMaria della Pietà de’ Turchini


Psalteries

The museum is fortunate to possess a fineItalian psaltery, dating from the second half ofthe 18th century. Donated by Ernesto DelBalzo as one of a pair, it has 26 pairs ofstrings. I have been able to establish that itwas in fact a bass psaltery; moreover we haverecords of such an instrument owned bySaverio Mattei. He was an accomplished playerof the psaltery known as a grande corista, andaccording to Valdrighi could perform “not onlythe tune but also an accompanying bass line”.This instrument may well be the one used byMattei, who as we know donated his library tothe Conservatorio della Pietà dei Turchini, andthus to the Conservatorio di San Pietro aMajella. A composition for psaltery in thelibrary, commissioned by Mattei fromMarianna Martinez, has the same provenance.The instrument seems to date from 1770-1780. The original case is decorated esternallywith ‘repertoire’ motifs, while inside, top left,the decoration features a constructionsurmounted by a ribbed belltower, with acircular donjon behind it and the typicalconstruction typology of Southern Italy andSpain of a gateway in stone. The scene depictsa parade of knights and horseriders (colouredfigurines stuck onto a white background). Atthe bottom, inside the fold down flap, we seefigures engaged in contemporary pastimes:hunting, dancing, games and music (note thelutenist bottom right) and mythologicalsubjects. Analogous scenes, on four differentlevels, are depicted inside the bottom of thecase. The collection has recently beenaugmented by the acquisition of a 19thcentury psaltery which, together with someviolins, a lyra-guitar from the early 19thcentury and a harmonium, come from thePignatelli donation.

Wind instruments

Woodwind

The museum has some fine flutes, notably byJohann Joseph Ziegler (Vienna 1795-1858). Hebecame famous throughout Europe andbeyond in the years after 1840; in Austria andItaly ‘Ziegler’ flutes or the ‘Ziegler system’delayed adoption of the universal ‘Boehmsystem’. These specimens are in boxwood andivory, and belonged either to Neapolitanflautists like Enrico Pastore or were part of theDel Balzo donation. There are also flutes byNeapolitan makers, including two woodenpiccolos by Vincenzo Schultz (Naples, activefirst half 19th century), who probably learnthis craft under Cristofaro Custodi (a flute inthe Carreras collection in Pisa bears their jointimprint) and certainly attended the RealCollegio di Musica during the 1830s. A jewel inthe collection is the flute made entirely ofivory by the celebrated Parisian maker JeanNicolas Le Clerc (Leclercq, Lecler) (Paris ? -1752).There used to be a pair of oboes by one of theleading makers Heinrich Grenser (Dresden1764-1813), believed destroyed in the fire thatdevastated the Sala Scarlatti in 1973 (Young1993). There are interesting oboes andclarinets by Gennaro Bosa (Naples active ante1831 - post 1856), Giosuè Esposito (Naplesactive ante 1852 - post 1879) and theMajorano brothers (Naples active ante 1880 -post 1926), the subject of recent studies. Thereare also a number of specimens by Italianmakers including Agostino Rampone (QuarnaSotto 1843 - Milan 1897), who learnt his craftunder Egidio Forni in Milan from 1853, andthe Frenchman Jaques François Simiot, activein Lyon from the beginning of the 19thcentury, incorporated from 1843 in the Breletfirm of oboe makers.


Brass

The collection of brass instruments numberssome thirty items, mostly by the Neapolitanmaker Cesare Ruggiero, the Viennese LeopoldUhlmann and Franz Bock, and the Mahillonfirm in Brussels. Of note there are two“invention horns” – the bell decorated in redenamel with floral motifs – one by the ParisianRiedloker, donated by the clarinetistFerdinando Sebastiani (1803-1860), the othermaintained by the donor, Cavaliere Edoardo DeAngelis, to have belonged to Giuseppe Rossini,father of Gioachino, although the brand name(Courtois frère) implies a rather laterconstruction date.An ivory soprano cornetto, number 566 inSantagata’s catalogue, is one of the oldest andmost valuable items in the collection of windinstruments, donated by the pianist FlorestanoRossomandi. The cornetto was the chiefprotagonist in the early baroque period inmusic for two solo instruments and bassocontinuo, often vying with the violin in virtuosodisplay. This specimen, of excellent Italianworkmanship from the first half of the 17thcentury, has six holes on the front and onebehind, and is tuned to a diapason of 465 Hz.

Ethnical and popular instruments

The collection features a significant number ofethnical instruments: a Burmese orchestra ofdrums, comprising 19 Dhola drums, alsodonated by Ernesto Del Balzo, a “Chinese hat”or “pagoda”, used in military band music; andinstruments from popular culture in Campaniasuch as chitarre battenti, notably a fine 18thcentury specimen donated by Calace, withelegant ivory intarsio work round the soundhole and on the back of the neck, as well asinstruments by the Calabrese makers De Bonis,part of the Roberto De Simone donation(2000). There are many mandolins, aninstrument that bridged the divide between‘popular’ and ‘educated’ music and was

emblematic of the Neapolitan tradition ofpopular music. It may have its origins in themedieval gittern; the museum featuresspecimens by Raffaele Calace I and De Falco.Among the ethnical instruments we canmention various specimens of crotali and abagpipe with two mouthpieces, of Slav origins,the pipes in boxwood decorated with huntingscenes.


Giacomo FerdinandoSievers(San Pietroburgo 1810-Napoli 1878)Pianoforte verticaleNapoli, seconda metà del secolo XIX

Giovanni Heichele(Trieste, inizio secolo XIX)Pianino a tavoloda lavoroDonazione Ernesto Del BalzoAgli inizi dell’Ottocentola passione per ilpianoforte spinsead inserire strumentidi dimensioni ridotte,o addirittura inminiatura, all’internodi tavoli, scrittoi e mobilidi varia destinazione.Questoo strumentorappresenta la tipologiapiù diffusa, dotata di uncassetto porta-oggettidestinato con tuttaprobabilità ad arnesida cucito. DonazioneErnesto del Balzo.


Mattia Goffriller(Bressanone 1659-Venezia 1742)VioloncelloVenezia 1708Donazione Silvio Rispoli

Vincenzo Postiglione(Napoli 1831-1919)VioloncelloNapoli, 1898Donazione Silvio Rispoli


Ferdinando Gagliano(Napoli 1724-1781)ViolinoNapoli 1768Donazione Ernesto Del BalzoNonostante alcuni studirecenti propendano perun’attribuzione ad unamanifattura tedesca diprimo Ottocento, alcune

caratteristiche costruttiveconsentono di mantenerela tradizionale paternitàalla liuteria napoletanapiù tipica e alle tipologiastilistiche dei Gagliano.Sul fondo presentanumerose firme diviolinisti dai quali è statoutilizzato alla finedell’Ottocento


Vincenzo Postiglione(Napoli 1831-1919)Viola d’amoreNapoli 1888Donazione Carlo BorrelliLa particolare formadello strumento,l’inusuale collocazionesul piano armonico dellecorde che vibrano persimpatia, il taglio della

testa a forma di fiore,conferiscono originalitàad un esemplare dasempre attribuito aVincenzo Postiglione.Esemplare certamentenapoletano, fuacquistato e donatoal Regio Conservatorio diMusica da Carlo Borrellidi Portici


Anonimo(Napoli, seconda metàdel secolo XVIII)MandolaDonazione Raffaele CalaceMandola a otto cori, sicaratterizza per glieleganti motivi inmadreperla, e uno‘scudo’ in tartaruga condoppia bordura inavorio. Il guscio,piriforme, si compone diventinove doghescannellate in cipresso,inframmezzate da unfiletto di ebano. Lostrumento, insieme adun esemplare dallecaratteristiche simili, fudonato nel giugno del1929 da Raffaele Calaceall’allora direttoreFrancesco Cilea

Fidele BarniaMandolinoVenezia 1762,appartenuto alla cantanteAmina BoschettiDonazione FrancescoFlorimoLa tipologia di questoesemplare èsopravvissuta con ladenominazione di‘lombardo’ o ‘milanese’.Opera di straordinariaeleganza, dal pianoarmonico in due pezzi diabete rosso e dallaraffinata rosetta etraforo, presenta unguscio di quindici doghedi avorio con doppifiletti di ebano allebordure ed uno di avoriointerposto. Fu donata daAmina Boschetti aFrancesco Florimo e daquesti al Conservatorionapoletano


Joseph Panormo(Napoli 1768-Londra1834)ChitarraLondra 1820 circa,appartenuta alla cantanteBarbara MarchisioDonazione RoccoPagliaraOpera di JosephPanormo – figlio diVincenzo Trusiani detto«Panormo il Vecchio»che si era trasferito daPalermo a Napoli primadi passare a Londrainsieme ai sui due figliJoseph e Francio –l’esemplare quipresentato è databileagli anni Ventidell’Ottocento, epocain cui si andavaconsumando lo strettolegame d’amicizia colchitarrista spagnoloFernando Sor (1777-1839),a Londra dal 1815 al1823. La tavolaarmonica in abetepresenta un’elegantesuccessione di bottonciniin madreperla,incastonati nel legno piùscuro e riportati inmaniera simile intornoal foro di risonanza.Donata a Rocco Pagliaradalla cantante BarbaraMarchisio, passò allecollezioni delConservatorio tra il 1913e il 1914

Antonio Stradivari(Cremona 1644-1737)Arpa diatonicaCremona 1681,appartenuta alla cantanteAmina BoschettiDonazione FrancescoFlorimo


Anonimo(manifattura italiana del XVIII secolo)SalterioAppartenutopresumibilmente a Saverio MatteiDonazione Ernesto Del BalzoDonato al conservatorionapoletano da ErnestoDel Balzo, in coppia conun esemplare dallecaratteristiche simili,lo strumento, «di tagliagrande», è di tipologiapiuttosto rara.La ricostruzionedell’accordaturaconsente di affermareche si tratta di unsalterio basso,avvicinabile a esemplaridalle caratteristichecostruttive spagnole.Grazie alle evidenti

coincidenze tral’esemplare quipresentato e quelliappartenuti e suonatiabilmente da SaverioMattei è possibileipotizzare che si trattidi uno strumentoappartenuto proprio albibliotecario e costruito,presumibilmente tra il1770 e il 1780. Di pregiole decorazioni dellacustodia

Jean NicolasLe Clerc [Leclercq, Lecler](Parigi ? - 1752)Flauto traversoParigi, prima metà del secolo XVIII

La pregevolezza diquesto esemplare, inquattro pezzi di avorio,a sette fori, l’ultimo conchiave in ottone, ne fauno degli strumenti afiato più preziosi dellacollezione. Opera delcelebre costruttoreparigino, la suaprovenienza e le vicendedi acquisizione non sonoancora note.

Anonimo(prima metà del XVIIsecolo)CornettoDonazione FlorestanoRossomandi

Esemplare tra i piùantichi e pregiatidell’intera collezione difiati, fu donato alConservatorio dalpianista FlorestanoRossomandi.Protagonista indiscussodella prima stagionemusicale barocca nelleformazioni per duestrumenti solisti e bassocontinuo, spesso incontrapposizione alviolino, col qualegareggiava per abilitàvirtuosistiche, lostrumento in esame, inun solo pezzo di avorio,è di pregevole fatturaitaliana della primametà del XVII secolo;a sei fori sulla parteanteriore ed uno suquella posteriore, sicaratterizza per undiapason a 465 Hz.


Conservatorio of San Pietro a Majella: The musical instrument collections

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