Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/B/Bellini, Vincent

Bellini, Vincent, a dramatic composer, was born on the 3d of November, 1802, at Catania, a city of Sicily, and entered at a very early age as a pupil at the Conservatory of Music at Naples. After having learned to play on some instruments, and studied the principles of singing, he had for a master in counterpoint Tritto, and after his death Zingarelli. What these masters taught him amounted to but little ; for musical studies have been for a long tithe in a poor condition in Italy, and especially at Naples - in addition to which Zingarelli, although sufficiently well acquainted with the traditions of the ancient school, yet took little interest in the pupils of the Conservatory intrusted to his care, and gave them but few lessons. Bellini ought therefore to be considered rather as a musician of instinct, who has formed himself, than as a pupil of any one great school : his best studies, those of Mercadante for example, consisted in the reading of some works of celebrated masters. After having published at Naples some small compositions for different instruments, such as the flute, clarinet, and piano, Bellini produced there a cantata entitled Ism�ne, fifteen overtures and symphonies, three entire vespers, two "Dixit Dominus," three masses, and some other pieces of religious music. His first opera, "Adelson a Salvina," was performed in 1824 in the little theatre of the Royal College of Music ; two years after which he furnished, for the Saint Charles Theatre, "Bianca e Gernando." These, his first productions, made known the talent of the youthful composer, and excited high expectations of him for the future. The success of "Bianca e Gernanado" procured him an engagement for the theatre Della Scala, at Milan, in 1827 - a privilege which a musician rarely attains at his d�but; for the most celebrated masters have frequently written their first works for some small cities, and it is not until after having acquired some renown that they are ii cited to compose for theatres of the primo cartell.

Fortune seemed to favor Bellini also in offering him the best singers of Italy to perform his compositions : thus, for the "Pirata," which was represented at Milan in 1827, and which attracted to its author the attention of the musical world, he had the good fortune to find in Rubini that talent which was best adapted to the principal character in his work. Some other circumstances also favored him at his debut - the unexampled popularity which the productions of Rossini had acquired during a period of nearly fifteen years ; the immoderate use which had been made of them by reproducing, in a hundred different ways, the melodies of his works ; and finally the fickle taste of the Italians, which, after having raised statues to the genius of an artist, the next day destroys the idols which it worshipped the evening before-all this, I say, favored Bellini ; and being a man of genius, he knew how to take advantage of the favorable circumstances which were offered to him. He perceived that the imitation of Rossini's style, into which were thrown those of Paccini, Mercadante, Carafa, and Donizetti, in his first works, was no longer suited to the taste of the people who had already begun to show their satiety of this style, notwithstanding those beauties of the first order which the master had there lavished. Whether it were the result of instinct or reflection, he perceived that, after so many brilliant things, a simple, expressive manner, and one analogous to the dramatic character of the French music, would be that by means of which he could afford the greatest novelty to an Italian audience ; and it was under the influence of these ideas that he wrote his "Pirata." Its success, which was doubtful at the first representation, was the next time very brilliant, and the piece, to use the popular phrase, was all the rage. In 1828 "La Straniera" was welcomed with enthusiasm at the great theatre of Milan, on which occasion Madam Meric Salande (who was considered at that time one of the best singers of Italy) and Tamburini sang and contributed much to its success. From this time Bellini attracted the attention of all Italy ; and "I Capuleti ed i Montecchi," performed at Venice, and "La Sonnambula," written at Milan for Mme. Pasta, added to his reputation.

Bellini has, however, been censured for condensing the forms of a great part of the pieces of his compositions into narrow proportions, and writing his instrumentation with negligence. He appeared to be susceptible to this criticism, and, in his opera of "Norma," made his style more grand and nervous. This production, written for Milan, had at first rather doubtful success ; but it afterwards recovered itself so far as even to excite enthusiasm in Italy, to which, however, the admirable dramatic talent of Madame Malibran contributed not a little. In "Beatrice di Tenda," which succeeded "Norma," the composer has been less happy ; but he had already determined to carry his talent to other climes, and to found in France, upon a solid basis, both his fortune and his fame. Arriving at Paris in 1833, he first studied the taste of the inhabitants of that great city, and then went to London to direct the arrangement in a scene of one of his works ; and on his return to Paris in 1834, he wrote "I Puritani" for the Italian Theatre of that city. The good fortune with which Bellini had even to this time been blessed still smiled upon him, on this occasion, in affording him the most satisfactory combination of singers that could be made- Rubini, Tamburini, Lablache and Mlle. Grisi, each in their sphere, possessing talents of the highest order. Nevertheless, if the singers favored the author of the "Puritani," he had also the merit of disposing these singers in his work in such a manner as to present them under the most favorable aspect.

Bellini had learned, while he was at Paris, that the French public was not enchanted by two or three small pieces, and that, in order to be successful with them, it was necessary to offer them works composed with more care than the greater part of those which are represented in Italy. Hence it happens that "The Puritans" is a more finished composition than his other operas; it contains more variety, a more elegant instrumentation, and more perfectly developed forms. Although there have crept into it many defects in the style of writing and modulations which are badly followed out, yet his progress, so far as art is concerned, is incontestable.

Bellini died in 1835, at the early age of thirty-three. - F�tis' Biographie Universelle.