Music and Musicians in Nineteenth-Century Italy

This is a grassroots view of the daily musical life of the Italian people throughtout the long nineteenth century - a period not bounded by the years 1801-1900 but varying widely with the many diverse groups that made up Italian society, from Sicilian fisherfolk to Venetian aristocrats. The first part of the book deals with the old musical world of Italy up to the mid-nineteenth century. The second part covers the period beginning with the 1848-49 revolutions and Italian unification in 1859-61, when the new national culture was wide open to foreign influence. This fascinating story, enlivened by contemporary quotations and illustrations, will be enjoyed by both music lovers and anyone interested in European cultural and social history. HARDCOVER.