Millioni/Monte 1678

Millioni, Pietro and Lodovico Monte

Vero e facil modo d'imparare a sonare, et accordare da se medesimo la chitarra spagnuola . . . (1678)

I. Overview

This edition equals Millioni/Monte 1673a without the songbook. The stroke alignment is very poor and it would be almost impossible to realize these pieces without reference to the earlier editions. Note that the Alfabeto Straordinario results in the same harmonies as the regular alfabeto, but from a different tuning.

Title: Vero e facil modo d'imparare a sonare, et accordare da se medesimo la chitarra spagnuola . . . (Venetia: Giacomo Zini, 1678).

Description:
48pp. in movable type
51+ pieces [+18 songs]
Foliation: ABC (8 ff. each)
Page Size:
I-Bc -- 14.5 cm. (width) X 10.3 cm.
I-MOe -- 15.8 cm. (width) X 11 cm.
GB-Lbl -- [K4a10] 15.3 cm. (width) X 10.1 cm.
GB-Lbl -- [H III 405] 14.7 cm. (width) X 10.1 cm.
US-Wc -- 15.5 cm (width) X 10 cm.

II. Prefatory Material

p. (1) -- VERO / E FACIL MODO D'IMPARARE / A SONARE, ET ACCORDARE DA SE MEDESIMO / La Chitarra Spagnuola, . . . IN VENETIA, Per Ciacomo [sic] Zini. 1678. Con Licenza de'Sup. [title page; equals Millioni/Monte 1652, but with a roughly-drawn guitar pointing to the left; guitar has 5 strings, 4+ pegs, 5 frets]

p. (2) -- [Equals Millioni/Monte 1673a]

pp. 4-5 -- [Contents equal Millioni/Monte 1652 except: P chord: 4th course 1 w/ index (incorrect); F chord: 5th/4th course 2 w/ anulare (incorrect); and G chord: 5th/4th course 3 w/ auriculare (incorrect).]

pp. 6-10 -- [Contents equal Millioni/Monte 1637 except p. 8: hands used for repeat signs, not flowers:] "Quando si trovano alcuni punti fermi bisogna trattenere la mano andando un poco più adagio del solito: quando anco si trovano doi punti bisognano, l'una che guarda all' altra [sic] . . ."

[Alfabeto:]

+ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPQRVX
22300023101313134242
20202023323111034444
00022212323031013424
03131301322341312423
03020101101334312222

[The K, P, Q, R, V, and X chords are not used.]

[Alfabeto Straordinario: works with same pieces as normal alfabeto, but with A-c#-f#-c-e' tuning:]

+ABCDEFGHIKLMNOP
2230002310131313
3131313443422214
1113332343411212
4202024021133020
030201011013343

III. Notation

Tablature: Alfabeto and stroke signs only; no meter or rhythm signs, or barlines. Very bad stroke alignment. Repeat signs are a flower symbol and the end is marked "fine.". Songs on pp. 50-62: with text only and no alfabeto.

Instrument: 5-course guitar

IV. Indices

Title information in brackets [ ] is editorial; information in parentheses

Index of Pieces:

PageTitleKeyMeterReprinted from:
p. 11Passacagli diversie[3/4]Millioni 1631 (p. 17); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b (with identical pagination)
p. 11[Passacaglia]G[3/4]Millioni 1627a (p. 10); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 11[Passacaglia]C[3/4]Millioni 1627a (p. 10); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 11[Passacaglia]a[3/4]Millioni 1627a (p. 10); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 11[Passacaglia]F[3/4]

Millioni 1627a (p. 11); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b

p. 11[Passacaglia]Eb[3/4]Millioni 1627a (p. 11); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 12Ciaccone diverseg[3/4]Millioni/Monte 1673a and 1673b
p. 12[Ciaccona]d[3/4]Millioni/Monte 1673a and 1673b
p. 13Foliag[3/4]Millioni 1631 (p. 23); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 13[Folia]d[3/4]Millioni 1631 (p. 24); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 14Pavanigliag[4/4]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 14Pavanigliad[4/4]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 15Gagliarda alla LombardaG[3/2]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 16Gagliarda (ordinaria)G[3/2]Millioni 1627a (p. 21); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 17RuggieroG[4/4]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 17Villan di SpagnaD[4/4]Millioni 1627a (p. 54); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 18Romanescag[4/4]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 19Aria di FiorenzaG[4/4]Millioni 1631 (p. 47); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 20--Rotta della dett'Aria (dell'aria di Fiorenza)G[3/4]Millioni 1631 (p. 48); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 21Ballo del Monte Verde (verde)a[4/4?]Millioni 1631 (p. 37); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 22Spagnolettad[3/4]Millioni 1631 (p. 38); Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 23Pass' e mezzoG[4/4]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 24Pass' e mezzoa[4/4]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 25Ballo d'OssonaF[4/4?]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 26Ballo di Mantovag[4/4?]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 27Corrente Francesea[3/4]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 28Spagnolettag[3/4]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 29--Seconda parte del retroscritto Ballo in gagliardaNote 1a[3/2]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 30Corrente Francesea[3/4]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 31Bertazza di Montagnae[4/4?]Millioni/Monte 1637, 1644, 1647, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 33Balletto detto l'AllegrodCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 45) [!]; Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 34Balletto detto del FioregCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 45); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 35Balletto detto il RomanoGCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 46); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 36Balletto detto il Corno [sic]dCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 46); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 37Balletto detto il Conosco [sic]fCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 46); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 38Spagnoletta in Ed[3/4]Milanuzzi 1623 (p. 47); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 39Spagnoletta in Og[3/4]Milanuzzi 1623 (p. 47); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 40Balletto detto l'AquinoG[3/4]Milanuzzi 1623 (p. 48); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 41Balletto detto il CatanioG[3/4]Milanuzzi 1623 (p. 48); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 42Balletto detto il RubinoECMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 48); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 43Ballo del gran Duca in GFCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 52); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 44--Sciolta del BalloFCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 52); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 45Pavaniglia in OgCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 53); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 45--Secondo modog[C]Milanuzzi 1623 (p. 53); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 46Pavaniglia in EdCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 53); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 46--Secondo modod[C]Milanuzzi 1623 (p. 53); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 47BallettoGCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 53); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 47BallettoaCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 54 [missing]); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 48Ruggiero in GFCMilanuzzi 1623 (p. 54 [missing]); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b
p. 48--Secondo modoF[C]Milanuzzi 1623 (p. 54 [missing]); Millioni/Monte 1644, 1652, 1666, 1673a, and 1673b

Notes:

1. This piece should have come after the Ballo del Monte Verde on p. 21. Return to text

Index of Genres:

The following chart summarizes the solo guitar contents of the book by genre. Major genres are given by the form used in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2d ed., with the forms actually used in the book in parentheses. Lesser known titles are grouped under "miscellaneous dances" and "songs." Rhythmic variations and rotte are considered part of the main work.

Genres (solo guitar only):totalmajorminormeter
miscellaneous dances . . . (Ballo d'Ossona, Ballo di Mantova, Ballo del Monte Verde, Bertazza di Montagna, Balletto . . .)146812 in [4/4] and 2 in [3/4]
Passacaglia (Passacagli)642[3/4]
Pavaniglia404[4/4]
Spagnoletta404[3/4]
Ballo del Gran Duca (Aria di Fiorenza)220[4/4]
Chaconne (Ciaccona)202[3/4]
Corrente (Francese)202[3/4]
Folia202[3/4]
Galliard (Gagliarda alla Lombarda, Gagliarda ordinaria)220[3/2]
Passamezzo (Pass'e mezzo)211[4/4]
Ruggiero220[4/4]
Romanesca101[4/4]
Villano (Vilan di Spagna)110[4/4]
Totals:441826[4/4] = 24
[3/4] = 18
[3/2] = 2

Index of Keys Used:

Keys used in the book; an * indicates that the key is only used in a passacaglia. Note that the pitch is relative and that since the guitarist was using tablature, there was no need to think in terms of traditional key signatures.

A major0 A minor6
B flat major0 B flat minor0
B major0 B minor0
C major1* C minor0
C sharp major0 C sharp minor0
D major1 D minor8
E flat major1* E flat minor0
E major1 E minor2
F major4 F minor1
F sharp major0 F sharp minor0
G major10 G minor9
A flat major0 A flat minor0

 

Index of Names:

MILIONI, Pietro
VERO E FACIL MODO D'IMPARARE A SONARE . . . DA PIETRO MILIONI, ET LODOVICO MONTE COMPAGNI. . . / p. (1)

MONTE, Lodovico
VERO E FACIL MODO D'IMPARARE A SONARE . . . DA PIETRO MILLIONI, ET LODOVICO MONTE COMPAGNI. . . / p. (1)

ZINI, [G]iacomo
. . . IN VENETIA, Per Ciacomo [sic] Zini. 1678. / p. (1)

V. Bibliography

Boye, Gary R. "Giovanni Battista Granata and the Development of Printed Guitar Music in Seventeenth-Century Italy" (diss., Duke Univeristy, 1995).

Boye, Gary R. "Performing Seventeenth-Century Italian Guitar Music: the Question of an Appropriate Stringing" in Performance on Lute, Guitar and Vihuela: Historical Practice and Modern Interpretation, ed. V.A. Coelho (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997).

Boye, Gary R. "The Case of the Purloined Letter Tablature: The 17th-Century Guitar Books of Foriano Pico and Pietro Millioni.Journal of Seventeenth-Century Music 11:1 (2005).

Hudson, Richard. Passacaglio and Ciaccona: From Guitar Music to Italian Keyboard Variations in the 17th Century (Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Research Press, 1981).

Répertoire international des sources musicales: Einzeldrucke vor 1800. RISM B/VI/2 p. 586

Tyler, James, and Paul Sparks. The Guitar and Its Music: From the Renaissance to the Classical Era (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002).

Weidlich, Joseph. "Battuto Performance Practice in Early Italian Guitar Music." Journal of the Lute Society of America 11 (1978): 63-86.

VI. Exemplars

GB-Lbl = Great Britain: London, The British Library (visited in 1992)

[two copies:]

K4a10
Condition: Some pages printed off center; some ink spotting and a few stains but no major damage and very legible.

Binding: Recent hard-cover; brown with gold trim; gold letters on spine: "P. MILIONI & L. MONTE COMPAGNI. / MODO D'IMPARARE LA CHITARRA. / VENETIA. 1678" [bound with Abbetessa 1650].

Manuscript additions:
Spine -- brown tape: "K4" over "a10" ink
2 added folios at front [recent]
1 blank folio [original]:
blank folio recto -- ink: "Sig.re / & Sig. Gent.o"; pencil [XX out]: "7895ab / K.1.a.6* / 1"; "K4a10/ 1-3" pencil
blank folio verso -- "O libro che da me sei tanto amato / Se per dir gradia tu fossi smarrito / Dirrai a colui che te averà trovato / Che ti riporti al tuo padron gradito / Se vorrà sapere il nome, o il cavato / Di gli che Antonio Garibaldi son chiamato / E se piacesse a qualche duno / Se ne vada à comprar uno" in ink

p. (1) -- two blacked out phrases on upper left and right of guitar [more MS text?]
p. (2) -- red stamp: "BRITISH MUSEUM"; on fingers: "1 [on thumb] 2 3 4 5" ink
pp. 3-7 -- dividing lines drawn between chord explanations; very rough page centering
p. 48 -- red stamp: "29 DE 63" [1863?]

followed by: "NOVISSIME / CANZONETTE MUSICALI / DE DIVERSI AUTTORI / . . . IN VENETIA, Per il Zini. 1678. Con Licenza de'Superiori." [16 pp. of text without music (or alfabeto); see: Millioni/Monte 1673a)]

p. 3 -- "CANZONETTE DEL VESPESIANO." [16 pp. with text only]
[followed by Abbatessa 1650 and (in same hand as above): "Se questo libro si perdesse / e il padrone non si trovasse / Leggerete il quinto verso / Troverete chi l'ha perso / Antonio Garibaldi." and 47 blank folios (recent?) with 2 folios added at back]


HIRSCH III 405
Condition: Thin, brittle paper; yellowed with poor page cut.

Binding: recent black hard-cover; gold on spine: "MILIONI VENETIA 1678"

Manuscript additions:
Spine -- green tape: "III" and "405"
Inside front cover: "Kal III/1 405" pencil
1 folio added at front
+ f. 1v -- "Hirsch III.405" pencil

p. (2) -- red stamp: "HIRSCH LIBRARY B.M."
[pp. 11 and 12: hand-written dots at horizontal line breaks (?)]
p. 48 -- red stamp: "HIRSCH LIBRARY B.M."

1 added folio at back
Inside back cover: "F [??] . . . Rth US 6/31" [?]

 

I-Bc = Italy: Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale G. B. Martini (visited in 1991-1992)

Condition: Very thin, rag-like paper; often stamped off center; good page edges and corners, some pages poorly cut (p. 11 title missing: bad page cut).

Binding: Thick, dark white cardboard; some spots, one hole (2 vertical slashes) in front and back but no damage to book.

Manuscript additions:
Cover -- white tape: "AA 352" over "AA352" in ink; "Milioni Pietro e Monte Lodovico / Chitarra Spagnuola / Venetia,
1678" in ink
Spine -- blue tape: "352 . . . 352"

p. (1) -- ink, top left: "5314"; black stamp: "ARCHIVIO MUSICALE NEL LICEO DI BOLOGNA"
p. 48 -- black stamp: "LICEO MUSICALE G.B. MARTINI BIBLIOTECA BOLOGNA"


I-MOe = Italy: Modena, Biblioteca Estense (visited in 1992)

Condition: Very rough page cut; yellowed and mildewed pages but still legible; some light areas (see p. 32).

Binding: Recent light grey cardboard.

Manuscript additions:
Spine -- "Milioni" in ink; blue stamp: "R. BIBLIOTECA ESTENSE MODENA MUS.G.132"
Inside front cover -- blue stamp: "R. BIBLIOTECA ESTENSE MODENA MUS.G.132"; blue paper strip: "Milioni e Monte. Chitarra spagnola [unkown mark] Ven. 1678"

1 folio added at front and back
p. (1) -- top left: "F [or T?] 2" ink; blue stamp: "R. BIBLIOTECA ESTENSE MODENA MUS.G.132"
p. 8 -- left margin between ll.2 and 3: "+ sotto"
p. 11 -- blue stamp: "R. BIBLIOTECA ESTENSE MODENA MUS.G.132" [title present: "Passacagli diversi"]
p. 32 -- alfabeto corrections in ink: E -- 2 on 2nd >> 3; [F -- 2 on 4th highlighted]; G -- 3 on 4th >> 2 >> 3 [?!]; M -- 2 on 5th >> 1; T -- 3 on 3rd >> 2; 3 on 2nd >> 2; [X -- 2 on 1st highlighted]; Y -- 1 on 1st >> 3; [Z -- 3 on 1st highlighted]; [Ron -- 6 on 2nd highlighted]
p. 48 -- blue stamp: "R. BIBLIOTECA ESTENSE MODEN[A]"

US-Wc = United States: Washington, DC, Library of Congress, Music Division (visited in 2010)

Condition: paper brittle but fairly thick; very heavy type imprint; some foxing in places (p. 12) you can clearly see the outline of the type blocks for the lines (overinked? printed too heavily?)

Binding: modern green hardbound case
white sticker on front: "MT 582 / .M422 / 1678"
gold letters on spine: "MILIONI -- VERO E FACIL MODO LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 1678"
one added folio in front
38 [!] added folios in back
front and back pastedowns with "Library of Congress" designs printed on whole pages
white cardboard binding worn similarly to book
libris stamp on inside front cover: "5701"
in pencil: "Milioni, Pietro / JMC / 74250"
Inside back cover in pencil: "0754J27 / 23 Ja 50" "Novissime canzonette" "JMC 74250"
Outside back cover in pencil: "Frazer" and "EH"

Manuscript additions
p. 2: BLUE STAMP: "BIBL. GVST. D. GALLETTI FLOR."; pencil: "MT582 / .M422 / 1678 / Case"

p. 48 followed by: "NOVISSIME / CANZONETTE MUSICALI / DE DIVERSI AUTTORI / . . . IN VENETIA, Per il Zini. 1678. Con Licenza de'Superiori." [16 pp. of text without music (or alfabeto; see: Millioni/Monte 1673a)]


© Copyright Gary R. Boye 1995–2024

© Copyright Gary R. Boye 1995–2022

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