A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Piccinni, Niccola
PICCINNI, Niccola, was born at Bari, in the kingdom of Naples, in 1728. Except for the circumstances which brought him into rivalry with Gluck, and the violent warfare waged between the partisans of the two masters, he is little remembered now; yet he was for a considerable time the most popular of Italian operatic composers.
The son of a musician, he was at first intended by his father for the church, but, as usual, the attempt to repress a strong natural inclination only resulted in confirming and strengthening it. He picked up by ear all the themes he heard, and learned to play them in secret, while the mere sight of a clavichord was enough to make him tremble with emotion. At length, at the instance of the Bishop of Bari, he was sent to the Conservatorio of San Onofrio, then presided over by Leo. He went there at the age of 14, and was at first instructed by a maestrino, a kind of pupil-teacher, who by his dry dogmatic lessons and severity only succeeded in disgusting the gifted boy, who showed on his part a disposition to throw aside all control. Leo averted this by taking him for his own pupil, and Durante (who, at Leo's death, resumed his previous mastership of San Onofrio) had also an especial affection for the young student. 'The others are my pupils,' he was wont to say; 'this one is my son.'
Piccinni quitted the Conservatorio in 1754, after twelve years of study, and made his début as a composer with the opera 'Le Donne dispettose,' at the Florentine theatre at Naples. The success of this piece was remarkable, as Logroscino's comic operas had so monopolised the stage that it was difficult for any others to obtain a hearing. Equally fortunate were 'Le Gelosie' and 'Il Curioso del proprio danno,' both in the light comic style, while 'Zenobia' (San Carlo, 1756), and 'Alessandro nelle Indie' (Rome, 1758), not only pleased the public, but showed advance in power, the last-named opera containing an overture which was greatly admired. Piccinni married, in 1756, Vincenza Sibilla, his pupil, who, to great personal charms, united that of a beautiful and touching voice. Her husband would not allow her to appear on the stage. She was however an exquisite singer in private circles, and Piccinni, with a wide experience of prime donne, said he never heard his own airs so perfectly rendered as by her.
It was at Rome, in 1760, that he produced 'Cecchina, ossia la Buona Figliuola,' perhaps the most popular buffo opera that ever existed, and which for years had a most extraordinary vogue. It was performed on every stage in Italy, and on most stages in Europe, and everywhere was received with the same enthusiasm. At Rome it was played not only at all the principal theatres, but at the most insignificant, even that of the Burattini, or marionnettes, and all classes of people were equally delighted with it. Fashions were all alla Cecchina: inns, shops, villas, wines—in fact all things that could be named—were called after her. Nor was more weighty appreciation wanting. 'Sarà qualche ragazzo o qualche ragazzata' ('probably some boy or boy's work'), said Jommelli, importuned on his return to Italy from Stuttgard with perpetual praises of 'La Cecchina' and its author. He went however to hear the work performed, and his dictum to the amateurs who crowded round him at the end to know his opinion, was 'Ascoltate la sentenza d' Jommelli: questo e inventore' ('Hear the opinion of Jommelli: this is an inventor'). It is difficult now to account for the immense preference given to 'La Cecchina' over other works of the time, although the airs it contains are lively, as well as graceful and pleasing. In the next year another triumph was won by 'L'Olimpiade,' previously set by Leo, Pergolesi, Galuppi, and Jommelli, but never so successfully as by Piccinni. Among his other improvements on existing operatic forms must be mentioned his extension of the Duet, hitherto treated in a conventional, undramatic way, and the variety and importance he gave to the Finale, the invention of which, in many movements, is however due to Logroscino.[1] His fame was equalled by his industry. In the year 1761 alone he wrote six operas, three serious and three comic. In 1773 a rival appeared in the person of Anfossi, sometime Piccinni's pupil, and who owed to him his first theatrical engagement. He was very far inferior to Piccinni, but his 'Incognita perseguitata' had a popular success, as had two or three weak operas that followed it. The inconstant Roman public forsook its old favourite; an opera of Piccinni's was hissed by Anfossi's partisans, and withdrawn. This so affected the composer's sensitive nature that, returning to Naples, he fell seriously ill, and was in danger for many months. On his recovery he decided not to return to Rome. In 1774 he had given at Naples a second 'Alessandro nelle Indie,' superior to the first; he now wrote a "buffo opera, 'I viaggiatori,' which had at Naples almost the success of 'La Cecchina' at Rome.
In 1776 he yielded to invitations and powerful inducements held out to him to go to Paris, where, with his family, he arrived in December, on a promised salary of 6000 francs, with travelling expenses. He knew not a word of the French language, but Marmontel undertook to be his instructor, and to make such changes in several operas of Quinault as should adapt them for modern music. For some time he passed every morning with Piccinni, explained a scene to him, taught him to repeat it, marked by signs the quantity of each word and each syllable, and then left him to work. The next morning Piccinni sang over to him what he had composed. His first French opera, 'Roland' (produced Jan. 17 [App. p.749 "27"], 1778), was completed after a year's labour of this kind.
He had not long begun it when the famous feud arose, already alluded to, between his ad mirers and those of Gluck. This great man had brought about a revolution in French serious opera, worthy in its way to be compared to the political and social revolution which followed soon after. He had freed the tragic lyrical stage from a mass of uncouth antediluvian conventionality, and had substituted for it a new and living form of Art. Like all innovators, he had enemies, and those who had been disgusted by the uncompromising fury of his partisans ranged themselves under Piccinni's banner. A war of pamphlets and other writings raged unabated for years. It divided society; the subject was unsafe. Men met each other for the first time with the question, almost implying a challenge, 'Sir, are you Gluckist or Piccinnist?'
Poor Piccinni, quiet and peaceable, a stranger to intrigue, kept at a distance from all the turmoil, which was such that on the night of the first performance of 'Roland,' fears were entertained for his personal safety. To the general surprise, he was brought home in triumph to his family. The opera had had a complete success, especial enthusiasm being elicited by the pretty ballet airs,—a curious fact, as Piccinni had no sympathy with dancing, and disliked having to write dance music.
He was in favour with Marie Antoinette, and gave her two singing-lessons a week at Versailles. The satisfaction of teaching so distinguished a pupil was supposed to be its own sufficient reward; at any rate he received no other payment, not even his travelling expenses.
He was appointed Director of a troupe of Italian singers engaged to give performances on alternate nights at the Grand Opera, and in this capacity produced 'Le finte Gemelle' (June 11, 1778); 'La buona Figliuola' (Dec. 7, 1778); 'La buona Figliuola maritata' (April 15, 1779); 'Il Vago disprezzato' (May 16, 1779). The idea now occurred to the principal director to get two operas on the same subject from the famous rivals, and 'Iphigénie en Tauride' was fixed on. The poetical version given to Piccinni to set was so bad, that after composing the first two acts he took it to Ginguene, who to a great extent rewrote the book. Meanwhile the manager, violating a promise made to Piccinni to the contrary, had Gluck's 'Iphigénie' performed first, which met with the brilliant success it deserved. Piccinni in the meantime (Feb. 20, 1780 [App. p.749 "Feb. 22"]) produced 'Atys,' a grand opera, superior to 'Roland'; some numbers of which, especially the 'Chorus of Dreams,' were for many years very popular at concerts; and 'Adèle de Ponthieu,' a lyric tragedy (Oct. 27, 1781). His 'Iphigénie,' produced Jan. 23, 1781, contained many beauties. It had small chance of succeeding after Gluck's, but was fairly well received in spite of the untoward incident which marred its second representation. No sooner had Mlle. Laguerre, the Iphigenie of the evening appeared on the scene, than it became painfully evident that she was intoxicated. She got through the part without breaking down, but the luckless composer heard Sophie Arnould's bon mot going from mouth to mouth, 'C'est Iphigénie en Champagne.' The opera had, however, seventeen consecutive performances.
Gluck had left Paris in 1780, but a new rival now appeared in Sacchini, whose 'Renaud' (Feb. 28, 1783 [App. p.749 "Feb. 25"]) had considerable success. 'Didon,' reckoned Piccinni's best French opera, was first produced, by command, before the court at Fontainebleau (Oct. 16, 1783), and afterwards at the Grand Opéra, where it kept the boards till Feb. 8, 1826—its 250th representation. At the same time the smaller works of 'Le Dormeur éveillé' and 'Le Faux Lord' were being performed by the Italian company and were very popular. About this time a school for singing was established in Paris, of which Piccinni was appointed principal master, and which showed the results of his training in an excellent performance of 'Roland' by the pupils. But the tide of fortune seemed now to turn against him. 'Lucette' and 'Le Mensonge Officieux' failed in 1786 and 1787. 'Diane et Endymion' and 'Pénélope' had met with the same fate not long before. He was not, however, embittered by these reverses. When Sacchini died, of vexation and disappointment, Piccinni pronounced his funeral oration, full of delicate and discriminating praise of all that was best in his works. When Gluck died, in 1787, Piccinni was anxious to found, by subscription, an annual concert in memory of the great man 'to whom,' he wrote, 'the lyrical theatre is as much indebted as is the French stage to the great Corneille.' From lack of support, the proposal was not carried out.
'Clytemnestra,' a serious opera, failed to obtain a representation, and when the Revolution broke out in 1789, and he lost his pension, he returned to Naples. Here he was well received by the king, who gave him another pension. Some of his old works were performed, as well as an oratorio, 'Jonathan' and a new buffo opera, 'La Serva onorata.' But he got into trouble owing to the marriage of one of his daughters with a young Frenchman of avowed Liberal opinions, was denounced as a Jacobin, disgraced at Court, and his next opera purposely hooted down. An engagement to compose two operas at Venice gave him the opportunity of absenting himself, but when, at the end of some months, he was foolish enough to return to Naples, he was immediately placed by the first minister, Acton, in a kind of arrest, and forbidden to leave his house. There he remained, in misery and indigence, for four years. He had previously heard that all the property he had left in France was lost, that a friend for whom he had become security was bankrupt, and that all his scores had been sold to pay this man's debts. He now supported himself, and beguiled the time by composing music to several Psalms, translated into Italian by Saverio Mattei. The convents and churches for which these were written became possessors of the original scores, as he was too poor to have them copied.
The treaty of peace with the French Republic brought hope for him. The ambassador, Canclaux, procured for him the means of communicating with his friends in Paris, and David, the famous singer, got him an offer of an engagement at Venice. With some difficulty a passport was procured for him by Garet, successor to Canclaux, and Lachèze, secretary of legation, who also furnished him with the means of going, he being absolutely penniless. At Rome he was fÊted by the French Fine Arts Commission, and persuaded to go direct to Paris, where he arrived on Dec. 3, 1798. The annual distribution of prizes in the Conservatoire occurred next day, and Piccinni was invited to be present. He was conducted on to the stage and presented to the public amid deafening applause. 5000 fr. were granted him for his immediate necessities, as well as a small pension. This was, however, most irregularly paid, and when some months later his family arrived, in utter destitution, from Naples, whence they had had to fly in the wake of the French army, poor Piccinni found himself again in almost desperate circumstances. His troubles brought on an attack of paralysis, from which he did not recover for some months. Many melancholy MS. letters of his are extant, showing to what a miserable state he was reduced. Some are addressed to Bonaparte, praying that his pension might be paid, for the sake of the many dependent on him. Bonaparte showed him kindness, and paid him 25 louis for a military march. A sixth inspector's place was created for him in the Conservatoire, but he was now again prostrated by severe illness, aggravated by the treatment of surgeons who bled him recklessly. He rallied, however, and went to Passy, in the hope of recovering his strength, but fresh domestic anxieties pursued him, and he succumbed on May 7, 1800. He was buried in the common cemetery (which has since been sold), and a stone was placed over him by friends.
His place in the Conservatoire was given to Monsigny, on condition that half the salary attached to it should be paid to Mme. Piccinni during her life, she, in return, instructing four pupils of the Conservatoire in singing.
Piccinni was a good husband and father, and a man of most mild and amiable temper. Where art was concerned, he could be firm. Unlike many other composers he would never yield to the caprices of imperious prime donne, by altering his music to suit their fancies.
His Paris scores are much more fully orchestrated than those of his earlier Italian works, and show in this the influence both of the French and the German spirit. He was, however, opposed to innovation. It is interesting to read, in Ginguené's life of him, his views on this question. His strictures on elaborate accompaniments, over- orchestration, profuse modulation, etc., are, with a mere difference of degree, the very same as those we hear at this day from writers who represent the conservative side of Art.
That he should ever have been opposed, on equal terms, to Gluck, seems now incredible. Yet by numbers of contemporaries—critical and cultivated—he was reckoned Gluck's equal, and his superior by not a few. But his art was of kind that adapts itself to its age; Gluck's the art to which the age has, in time, to adapt itself. Novelty brings such an unavoidable shock, that originality may find itself, for the time, in opposition to 'good taste,' and the vero be less readily accepted than the ben trovato. Piccinni was no discoverer, but an accomplished and successful cultivator in the field of Art.
A complete list of his very numerous works is to be found in Fétis's 'Biographie des Musiciens.' They compris 80 operas—Guinguené says 133—several oratorios, and many long pieces of church music.
Piccinni left two sons, the second of whom, Ludovico, born at Naples in 1766, learned music from his father and followed it as a career. He followed his father to Paris in 1782, and after a long and checkered life died there on July 31, 1827. He wrote many operas, but they are dismissed by Fétis as works of no value. Certainly none of them have survived. The elder son, Giuseppe, is known only through his natural son, Louis Alexandre, born at Paris Sept. 10, 1779, a composer of more than 200 pieces for the stage, as well as of 25 comic operas, of which a list is given by Fétis.