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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About this exposition

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
share statusprivate
copyrightElana Cooper
licenseCC BY-NC-ND
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/1818795/1818796
published inKC Research Portal
portal issue3. Internal publication


Simple Media

id name copyright license
1818806 Lombardini Sirmen image The Strad (August 16 2021) All rights reserved
1818950 Lombardini Sirmen ties, vibrato, ornaments Elana Cooper All rights reserved
1818964 Final cadence trills cropped 1 Elana Cooper All rights reserved
1818971 Lombardini Sirmen ties, vibrato, ornaments Elana Cooper All rights reserved
1818977 Trills on imperfect or interrupted cadences Elana Cooper All rights reserved
1827137 Geminiani p. 22 F. Geminiani All rights reserved
1827186 Geminiani p. 22 F Geminiani Public domain
1828398 Tartini example 24. (pages 76-77) 2 Herman Moeck Verlag All rights reserved
1828445 Tartini example 32 p. 80 Hermann Moeck Verlag All rights reserved
1950333 L. Sirmen slurs example 1 Elana Cooper CC BY-NC-ND
1950336 L. Sirmen slurs 2 Elana Cooper CC BY-NC-ND
1950380 Bow image Michel Woldemar Public domain
1950388 L. Sirmen D# vs D natural Elana Cooper CC BY-NC-ND
1950427 Lombardini Sirmen Concerto No. 3, Mvt 1 with quartet Elana Cooper CC BY-NC-ND
1951598 Tartini picture Encyclopædia Britannica CC BY
1951607 Geminiani image Public Domain Public domain
1953049 Tartini example 32 Hermann Moeck Verlag All rights reserved
1953080 Vln Concertonno 3 Solo Manuscript Movement 1 Willm. Napier Public domain
1953092 Vln Concertonno 3 Solo Manuscript Cover Page Willm. Napier Public domain
1953094 Lombardini Sirmen Concerto No 3 Solo Page 1 Willm. Napier Public domain
1953096 Vln Concertonno 3 Solo Manuscript Page 2 Willm. Napier Public domain
1953106 photo of painting of woman composing Mauritshuis CC BY
1953113 label for painting of woman composing Mauritshuis CC BY

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