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| Neapolitan music | |
|---|---|
| Name | Neapolitan music |
| Native name | Musica napoletana |
| Region | Naples, Campania, Kingdom of Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies |
| Cultural origins | Medieval Naples, Renaissance Naples, Baroque Naples |
| Instruments | Mandolin, tammorra, zampogna, mandola, organ, violin |
Neapolitan music Neapolitan music originated in Naples and the Campania region, evolving through interactions among Byzantine Empire, Norman Kingdom of Sicily, Holy Roman Empire, Spanish Empire (1485–1700), and Bourbon restoration influences. It informed and was influenced by institutions such as the Conservatorio di San Pietro a Majella, the Teatro di San Carlo, the Accademia Musicale Napoletana and courts like the Viceroyalty of Naples. The tradition spans liturgical repertory in Naples Cathedral, secular theatre at the Real Teatro di San Carlo, and popular street performance in the Quartieri Spagnoli.
Medieval Naples absorbed liturgical practice from the Byzantine Rite, vernacular forms from Pico della Mirandola-era humanism, and troubadour repertoires linked to the House of Anjou (Naples), while Renaissance patronage by the Aragonese House of Barcelona fostered madrigals akin to those at the Medici court. Baroque expansion under Vincenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and composers associated with the Conservatorio dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo intersected with operatic developments at the Real Teatro di San Carlo and innovations by maestros connected to Scarlatti family, Domenico Scarlatti, and Francesco Provenzale. The 18th century saw the rise of the Neapolitan opera buffa tradition and pedagogy at the Conservatorio di Santa Maria di Loreto, while the 19th century featured nationalist currents linked to the Risorgimento and musicians active during the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. 20th-century shifts incorporated influences from Enrico Caruso, recording technologies of Victor Talking Machine Company, and urban migration patterns associated with World War II reconstruction.
Neapolitan practice includes sacred genres like masses performed at Naples Cathedral and oratorios influenced by Alessandro Scarlatti, secular forms such as opera seria and opera buffa developed in venues like the Teatro San Carlo, and the vernacular canzone tradition exemplified by songs associated with Enrico Caruso, Guglielmo Cottrau, and Raffaele Viviani. Folk genres incorporate dance forms related to the tarantella and ritual laments connected to Saint Januarius festivities at Catacombs of San Gennaro. 20th-century popular styles intersect with Italian popular music movements, urban songwriters influenced by labels like Cetra Records and festivals such as the Festival di Napoli.
Traditional ensembles feature plucked instruments such as the Neapolitan mandolin and mandola, bowed strings like the violin used in ensembles at the Teatro San Carlo, and percussion including the tammorra and frame drums seen in folk processions on Via Toledo. Historical keyboard practice employed the pipe organ at Naples Cathedral and chamber harpsichord in salons patronized by the Bourbon court. Wind instruments like the zampogna appear in pastoral settings and Christmas nativity scenes in the Presepe di San Gregorio Armeno. Performance practice preserves ornamentation methods traced to treatises circulating among teachers at the Conservatorio di San Pietro a Majella and pupils of Nicola Porpora and Francesco Durante.
Prominent figures include baroque composers Alessandro Scarlatti, Nicola Porpora, Francesco Durante, and keyboard innovator Domenico Scarlatti; operatic contributors such as Giovanni Paisiello, Domenico Cimarosa, and Saverio Mercadante; 19th-century maestros Gaetano Donizetti, Gioachino Rossini (active in Naples), and Giuseppe Verdi (with Neapolitan premieres); and performers like Enrico Caruso, Antonio Pasculli, and Edoardo Di Capua. 20th-century and contemporary artists connected to the tradition include Renato Carosone, Massimo Ranieri, Roberto Murolo, Pino Daniele, and ensembles such as the Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio.
The canzone tradition flourished through songwriters and collectors like Guglielmo Cottrau, Ernesto De Curtis (composer of a celebrated song), and lyricists associated with publishers such as Casa Ricordi. Public premieres took place in cafes, salons, and at the Festival di Napoli, while recordings by Enrico Caruso and labels like His Master's Voice helped internationalize the repertory. Famous songs were interpreted by singers including Totò (Antonio De Curtis), Lucio Dalla (in later arrangements), and modern revivals by Nino D'Angelo and Andrea Bocelli in crossover projects, linking the local canzone to global popular repertoires.
Neapolitan musical practices influenced European opera centers such as Vienna and Paris through exported composers and emissaries associated with the Habsburg monarchy and Bourbon diplomatic networks. The conservatory system in Naples informed pedagogy later adopted in cities like Milan and Rome, while motifs from the canzone entered international standards through performers like Enrico Caruso and arrangers employed by Columbia Records. Neapolitan repertoire continues to be staged at institutions including the Teatro di San Carlo and taught at the Conservatorio di San Pietro a Majella, sustaining traditions observed during civic festivals like the Feast of San Gennaro and in museum displays at the Museo di Capodimonte.
Category:Music of Italy