Exposition

Understanding the Unwritten Implications: Maddalena Lombardini Sirmen's Concerto No. 3 as a Case Study for Creating a Historically Informed Performance of Late 18th-Century Music (2023)

Elana Cooper
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How can I use treatises of composers from a similar period and geographic region as Maddalena Laura Lombardini Sirmen, as well as my knowledge of baroque and classical violin performance practice, to create a historically informed performance of the first movement of Lombardini Sirmen’s Violin Concerto No. 3? How might this case study inform my approach to other lesser-known works of late 18th-century music? This research applies elements of Tartini’s treatise Traité des agréments de la musique as well as Geminiani’s Art of Playing on the Violin and other scholarly sources to the first movement of Maddalena Laura Lombardini Sirmen’s Violin Concerto No. 3. In an effort to play Lombardini Sirmen’s music in a historically informed manner, I experimented with applying the baroque musical styles she was trained in, rather than the developments towards the classical style that occurred during her career. This is based on the critique that her style of violin playing was out-dated and the assumption that her compositions somewhat match her playing style. This research also addresses the importance of understanding Lombardini Sirmen’s personal musical style within historical context in order to approach inconsistencies in the notation of slurs, pitch/accidentals, and rhythm. The more of her music that one plays, the easier it is to make educated guesses as to how to make adjustments in order to unify the inconsistent notation. This research has brought me to the conclusion that an important element of creating a successful historically informed performance is a balance between paying attention to details and leaving room for creativity and spontaneity. In addition, my research and study of Lombardini Sirmen’s Violin Concerto No. 3 has enhanced my understanding of late 18th-century violin playing and repertoire and illuminates the role that lesser known female violinists and composers such as Lombardini Sirmen may have played in the development of violin repertoire.
typeresearch exposition
keywordshistorically informed performance, violin, women, Art of Interpretation, Historical sources
date18/11/2022
published19/07/2023
last modified19/07/2023
statuslimited publication
copyrightElana Cooper
licenseCC BY-NC-ND
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/1818795/1818796
published inKC Research Portal
portal issue3. Internal publication


Copyrights

nameLombardini Sirmen image
copyrightThe Strad (August 16 2021)
licenseAll rights reserved
usagespicture
nameTartini picture
copyrightEncyclopædia Britannica
licenseCC BY
usagespicture
nameGeminiani image
copyrightPublic Domain
licensePublic domain
usagespicture
nameLombardini Sirmen ties, vibrato, ornaments
copyrightElana Cooper
licenseAll rights reserved
usagesvideo
nameFinal cadence trills cropped 1
copyrightElana Cooper
licenseAll rights reserved
usagesvideo
nameTrills on imperfect or interrupted cadences
copyrightElana Cooper
licenseAll rights reserved
usagesvideo
nameTartini example 24. (pages 76-77) 2
copyrightHerman Moeck Verlag
licenseAll rights reserved
usagespicture
nameTartini example 32
copyrightHermann Moeck Verlag
licenseAll rights reserved
usagespicture
nameGeminiani p. 22
copyrightF Geminiani
licensePublic domain
usagespicture
nameL. Sirmen slurs example 1
copyrightElana Cooper
licenseCC BY-NC-ND
usagesvideo
nameL. Sirmen slurs 2
copyrightElana Cooper
licenseCC BY-NC-ND
usagesvideo
nameBow image
copyrightMichel Woldemar
licensePublic domain
usagespicture
nameL. Sirmen D# vs D natural
copyrightElana Cooper
licenseCC BY-NC-ND
usagesvideo
nameLombardini Sirmen Concerto No. 3, Mvt 1 with quartet
copyrightElana Cooper
licenseCC BY-NC-ND
usagesvideo
nameVln Concertonno 3 Solo Manuscript Cover Page
copyrightWillm. Napier
licensePublic domain
usagespdf
nameLombardini Sirmen Concerto No 3 Solo Page 1
copyrightWillm. Napier
licensePublic domain
usagespdf
nameVln Concertonno 3 Solo Manuscript Page 2
copyrightWillm. Napier
licensePublic domain
usagespdf
namelabel for painting of woman composing
copyrightMauritshuis
licenseCC BY
usagespicture
namephoto of painting of woman composing
copyrightMauritshuis
licenseCC BY
usagespicture

comments: 1 (last entry by Inês de Avena Braga - 17/02/2023 at 16:57)