Taken altogether, the productions of this period are found to be better constructed and more balanced than those of the preceding period. The almost excessive seeking for di rect scenic effect, which was the evident out come of the choice of highly sensational sub jects was now largely replaced by a greater nobility in style. However, we are not con sidering a sporadic condition of our lyric drama, but actual characteristics common to all composers and which became more markedly evident in the third and more recent period of our operatic activity.
The success of Cordara's lyric mystery. 'La tentazione di Gesk) composed upon Arturo Graf's dramatic poem, was a significant sign of the new aspirations.
Another worthy musician, Giacomo Orefice, already known by his 'Gladiatore> and his acquired a deserved fame by his 'Chopin,' in which, with the able help of the poet Angiolo Orvieto, he cleverly portrayed the life and music of the great Polish musician in a lyrical drama; and this fame was increased by his with its mystically grand, elo quent phraseology and its exalted style. The present output is full of the high conceptions and an effort to develop a more marked national character. This character of nationality is a question of life or death. On it depends whether Italian opera shall be able to reaffirm its traditional pre-eminence in the face of the tremendous competition of the schools of other countries.
Besides opera, which in music is our most typical form and the most complete of our musical activity, there are also other kinds of music in which the Italians have taken honors. Among these is the oratorio.
This form of art. which is, as it were, an imaginary bridge connecting sacred and secular music, is of purely Italian origin. But while it developed most markedly outside of Italy under Bach and Handel, it became popular in Italy towards the end of the 17th century, in a long period of decadence which lasted to our day. To the Abbe Perosi belongs the honor of recalling this noble order of music to new life. The oratorios of Perosi are in fact a happy grafting of dramatic sentiment and im proved modern technique on the ancient and glorious stock of Palestrinian traditions. They awaken in the popular mind a deep echo which appeared to be dying out, and their great suc cess inaugurates a true and important evolu tion in oratorio construction, which had wor thy exponents in Maestro Tebaldini, Padre Ambrogio and Maestro Sonzongo. Oratorio had also a Conscientious historian in the young and learned Abbe Pasquetti, author. of a book on 'Musical Oratorio) in Italy.
As of oratorio, so also of real and regular sacred music there is much to say. In publish ing his famous Motu proprio sulla nesisica sacra, Piux X laid down minute rules not only for the execution, but also the composition of church music, which he desired to bring back to its ancient purity. Among the most severely censured writers of sacred music are Bossi, Gallignani, Tebaldini, Terrabugio and others.
It is unpleasant for an Italian to have to acknowledge that Italian symphonists receive little encouragement. Italy certainly has not the glorious symphonic traditions of which Germany can boast. Nevertheless she has ac quired some fame, through Bolzoni, Celega, Scontrino in his 'Sinfonia Marinaresca,' and above all through Giovanni Sgambati and Giuseppe Martucci, the late director of the National Conservatory of Naples, in his highly valued symphonies in and in 'LP' major.
Also in instrumental chamber music, Sgam bati and Mantled have made themselves con spicuous. In this field Italian production is unable to compete with foreigners. However, artistic qualities may be found in the works of Bossi, Buonamici, Adolfo Crescentini, Fro gatta, Del Valle, Faini, Enrico Oswald and in three interesting quartettes by A. Scontrini. Among the most recent works those of Zanella, Tarenghi and Brogi deserve praise.
Vocal chamber music has not with us taken on the classical character possessed by the lieder (songs) of Schumann and Schubert in Germany; it deals exclusively with ballads and the ballads of Tosti, Rotoli, Denza, M. Costa and E. De Leva are universally known.
The great popularity of Italian singers in other countries obviates the need of mentioning names. There is almost always a wealth of good voices in Italy and there will never be a dearth of those who understand the delicate mechanism of the Italian Bel Canto.
The schools of stringed instruments of Milan, Turin, Rome, Naples, Pesaro and Parma enjoy a merited renown, and in general, the musical conservatories of these cities grad uate a large number of the finest instrumental ists. But Italian musical instruction is not up to modern standards. And a proof of this is the fact that almost all our best concertists (orchestra players) have studied, or perfected themselves in Belgium or Germany. Besides her orchestra players and her singers Italy boasts of a great number of orchestra leaders of renown, such as Mancinelli, Martucci and Toscanini and the Maestri Mugnone, Ferraris and many others.
Then in the field of musical literature there are talented writers, such as Nappi, Depanis, Franchi-Vernecq, Pozza, Checchi and Monaldi.
In spite of its partial disorganization and consequent scattering of energy, Italian musical art has proved its inexhaustible vitality and its admirable faculty of adapting itself to the new age. But the instruction now given ih con servatories should be made more practical and more modern; care and intelligence should be given to the reorganization of Italian musical life, which from the theatre to the concert hall is in a condition of uncertainty and continual crises; and above. all, Italian musicians must endeavor to imprint on all their musical pro ductions a more vigorous and more sincere Italian character.