Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/A/Apolloni, Chevalier Giovanni

Apolloni, Chevalier Giovanni, was born at Arezzo. He composed the grand operas of "Argia," "Astiage," and of "Schiaro Regio," upon according to the value or the length of the note. It is a small leading note, or note of embellishment, placed before the principal note, on the accented part of the measure, and borrows half its time, unless it should occur before a pointed note, in which case the appoggiatura takes the time of the note, and the point takes the time of the appoggiatura. This, however, is not an arbitrary rule, performers being at liberty to vary their length according to their judgment.

Remember, that since the appoggiatura is a small note, reversed and added to other notes for the sake of expression, whatever length is given to the small note must be taken out of the time of the principal note, which is the note immediately after it. There are two sorts of appoggiaturas, the greater and the lesser. The greater appoggiatura is most frequently used in slow movements ; and at the end of a strain, when properly performed, sets off the performance to the utmost advantage. (See examples above.) The lesser appoggiatura is chiefly made use of in quick movements ; and when it occurs, is always slurred immediately into the note to which it belongs. It is also placed at the beginning of a lesson or piece of music, to take off that harsh and disagreeable effect which it otherwise would have, were it not for the appoggiatura.

The appoggiatura has been termed a leaning note, from its frequently bearing the expression of a concluding cadence, or from its deciding the climax of a musical period. It is called preparative from its causing a suspension of the resolution of a chord. An appoggiatura is a note of decoration. In slow movements, its chief office is to soften and-smooth the effect of certain distances, and, by dwelling upon a note of any chord, to retard the completion of the subsequent harmony. In bold, energetic, and voluble movements, a chain of appoggiature not only serves to link the greater intervals, but affords the singer, or player, full scope for the display of flexibility in voice or finger, and for the employment of intonation and impassioned expression. The appoggiatura not being always in consonance with the bags and other parts, to avoid a visible breach of the laws at' harmony it is generally written in a small note.

The appoggiatura may be placed either above or below the principal note, of which it may borrow half the value, and is then accented more strongly

than the note which follows it.

The appoggiatura, in an harmonic point of view, forms the highest class of discords ; as in the following combination, every note of the scale is struck, of which the upper four resolve them selves as appoggiatura notes into the common chord.

When so employed, the harmony may be said to be suspended; but when substantially or emphatically used, this combination is termed the chord of the thirteenth.