Primo violoncello al cembalo: sulla prassi esecutiva dei recitativi semplici nel primo Ottocento

Abstract

Chordal realisation of figured bass on the cello, a widespread baroque practice now slowly resurfacing in historically informed performances, survived in Italy until the early 20th century in the accompaniment of simple recitatives in comic opera repertoire. In Germany the tradition was lost soon after 1800; in Paris it was maintained for some time only owing to the Italianate performing practice at Napoleon's court and at the théâtre italien. When tracking the performing circumstances in Italy, many related topics need to be touched upon, such as the presence and the role of a 'cembalo' in the theatre orchestra, the nature of the keyboard instrument, the seating arrangement, the ratio of the cellos to the double basses, and the Italian three-stringed double bass. On the whole, conservative traditions were dominant in Italy and lost their strength only after 1850.