Girolamo Mei -- and opera greca

Speranza Keywords: tragedia greca opera italiana Giovanni Bardi, Vincenzo Galilei, Girolamo Mei, De Modis, Claude V. Palisca, Donatella Restani, Girolamo Mei was born on the 27 of May 1519, in Florence. He was the son of Paolo and Peppa (or Pippa) daughter of Nicolo` de ' Serragli (or Venagli). On his father side, he was descendent from an old Florentine family of Mei. Girolamo Mei was described by a contemporary man as "of average hight, olive complexion, black hair, with a somewhat long face", and another contemporary said he wore glasses except for when reading and dressed in an archaic manner. His name appears first in 1541, as a member of the Florentine "Acaddemia de' Umidi", later known as the Accademia Florentina. An academy dedicated to the spread of the Tuscan language and to making Latin and Greek authors available via translations. It appears that, alongside Bartolomeo Barbadori, Girolamo Mei became a favourite student of the celebrated humanist Pier Vettori, who was a rich and respected scholar, who mentions their contribution to his work Electra in 1545. Restani suggests that Mei's two treaties "Del verso Toscano" and "Della compositura delle parole" were written as a member of the academy, because of their difference from his other writings and accordance to the interests developed by the academy at the time of the rule of Cosimo I. It is Vettori that invited Girolamo Mei to Rome, in 1546 in search of manuscripts and books, and supplied him with letters of recommendation to various scholars in the Papacy. Of these, it was Ottavio Pacato that became his counselor in the Roman years. One of Mei's letter to Vettori reveals his disliking to the church institutions of his time. Their correspondence which lasted for many years reveals Vettori played a major role in the cultural development of Mei. At that time Mei wrote a number of treaties under various pseudonyms, for the Academy of the Pianigiani. Under the name Decimo Corinella da Peretola, senatore Pianigiano, in the Academy which expressed sympathy for the circles of Protestantism. Politically Cosimo at 1546-48 was in confrontation with the pontificate because of number of connivances between people of his "entourage" and circles of the reform. While he was at first tolerant to the accusation of heresy against the Pianigiano group. From 47 he started to implement his religious politics in firm mode, and at that year Girolamo Mei's name appears for the last time as a participant of the Academy Fiorentina. From the end of the year it appears he was in Rome (wrote to Vettori from Rome) searching for an employment. It appears at these years he had thirst for non-orthodox religion [8], and was dissent to the rule of Cosimo. So he went on a perhaps to a voluntary exile from Florence then. Girolamo Mei was thereafter in constant search of work that would allow him relative independence. Using an acquaintance padre Pacato, he was directed to the vescovo of Agen, the son of Cesare Fregoso needed an accompanying "literato" that will live with him to the French court, in exchange to a suitable payment. Mei traveled to Lyons. Girolamo Mei arrived to Lyons at 1549, it was an exile offered to those anti Medici that left Florence. His friends there were Bartolomeo Cavalcanti and Albizzo del Bene who was connected to the ruler Caterina who assigned to Mei a position as "accompanist" to the young Guglielmo Guadagni. Girolamo Mei wrote that Guglielmo " was amused at last from singing, so probably he encouraged the study of musical theory. But his life of courtier, with frequent travels, and the unnatural idleness of the life of a courtier, disturbed Mei's dedication from 1551 to the study of Greek musical theorists, and brought him to be bitterly against the life of the court routine. At 1554 Girolamo Mei, following certain accidents, left and after an obscure and short stay with the Gambara family went to Padova. In Padova, after the battle of Montemurlo and the strengthening of the rule of Cosimo, the new "exiles" renew The compagnia of S. Giovanni Battista (Compania of the Florentines") . And in 1555 Mei was elected as advisor (alongside Chierico Barducci) (Iacopo Nardi became then the head of the brotherhood). In the compagnia, Mei was active, helping in drawing up of the constitution in 56, and later it appears he was attempting to get Vettori cathedra near the office, but Iacopo Baroncelli, under the pretext of economic limitations worked unfavorably toward Vettori, so that he did not get the post [11]. Following this, Girolamo became an "idle Padovan", which lasted until 59.During this period he had suffered from a severe illness in 58 [12]. It is possible that he attended there the university and perhaps attended lessons of Robertello [13]. Girolamo Mei was examining throughout in those years the Poetics and corresponding with Vettori on it as the later was preparing a commentary of it. Girolamo Mei was dealing with Aristotle's connection between the arts (including music) as imitative arts and not like the division of arts by Boethius. In the years 59-60 Girolamo Mei was studying elements of (Greek terms - translate) as elements of written text and its performance in tragedy. It seems Girolamo Mei based his interests in musical theory on these Aristotelian problems. He placed this study at the dialectical-rhetorical sphere and not the physical natural one. Mei speaks of intention to move to Rome beginning in 55, because of the election of a new humanist pope Marcello II [16], a friend of Vettori, and he indeed returns to Rome in 59 [17]. Mei joined in rome the "vigilia d'Ognissanti" the numerous "Compania of the pieta` of the Florentine nation". The Florentines were well integrated in Rome and the intellectuals that recovered the office of "console" of the "nazione" were well introduced in the Curia and social circles surrounding it. Mei renewed his acquaintance with Padre Pacato and the Cardinal Faerno, on whom he relayed for finding work. He used to go to the libraries in Rome looking for material. During the first two years in Rome he was looking for job (not full). Girolamo Mei studied more profoundly the Aristotelian questions connected to the Poetics. During the 60's he because frequent visitor at the lectures of "Dottor Benedetti" which he admired and reports to have learned from. The writings of Aristotle containing the theory of the emotions became one of his centers of interest at the theory of "homeopathic catharsis" -- associated in the Poetics with tragedy and in the Politics to music. In the first two years in Rome he was helping Vettori's in his bibliographical requests. In 61 he found a patron, Cardinal Giovanni Ricci da Montepulciano of Florence which enabled him to pursue his studies. While looking for this he came across some musical manuscripts in 1561 which he studied, and this interest continued as he was working between 1566-1573 on De Modis. This when at the same time he had to devote much time to his Cardinal's affairs. We have a testimony by Del Nero from 61 that Mei was diligently studying musical theoreticians at early as that time. He also wrote at that time sonnets and four tragedies where he wanted to apply the principles of Aristotle. Between 65 and 66 it appears Mei was having a scorching historiographical argument with Vincenzo Borghini, which shows Mei's detachment from Cosimo's regime. Borghini, for the occasion of the marriage of Francesco I and Giovanna of Austria, claimed that Florence was founded by Augustus. This claim he based on the inscriptions reported by Annio da Viterbo. Mei was challenging this opinion as questioning the authenticity of such historical writings. Mei wrote small treatise in Latin against this called "De origine urbis Florentiae". There he says Florence was not founded by Rome, but by the Longobard king Desiderio. Borghini reacted strongly against this and Vettori too demanded explanation. Mei carried out and welcomed the invitation of Vettori to break the fruitless polemic. In the spring Mei found in the German humanist Giovanni Caselio' the ideal speaker of the musicological research and introduced Mei to cultural circles in Rome. This meeting was facilitated by the connections of Vettori. A favored subject of conversation in these meetings was ancient music [22]. In 1566 Mei had already clarified to himself the parts of his work ("De Modis"). A letter (No. 57) [23] to Vettori testifies Mei was interested in the affects (AFFECTS, EFFECTS) he read ancient music had on its listeners (spectators of tragedy) which current music does not posses. Mei dedicates De Modis to his master Vettori and the friend Giovanni Caselio. In the work he discusses among others the difference between theorists of the hearing and senses ("uditus ac sensus") and those of the intellect ("ratio"). In the times of the Macedonians and later among the Romans the study of theory declined and the practice became much more crude. Boethius reduced the difference between the genera, diatonic, chromatic and enharmonic to one type of intervallic constraction which Mei made into a graph. Mei finished the first book of De modis on 67, and may have started the second. Mei sent in 67, the first sample of writings to Vettori, and others gave in hand during his short voyage to Toscana in that year [25] in the retinue of Cardinal Giovanni Ricci. The true destiny of the "quiers on music" was the friend Bacio Valori, that together with the maestro(who)) stimulated Mei to finish the work. In 68 Mei writes he finished the second book of De Modis [26]. He reports of difficulties in accessing the various books and manuscripts necessary for his work. The new system of the Vatican library, moving large part of the collection to a place less accessible, did not contribute either. That year he visited Vettori in Florence and gave Vettori personally a sketch of his first book. The manuscripts he collected in 1552 and 1557 of the pseudo Plutarchan works occupied the following months. The fragment from Ferecrate of Pseudo Plutarch served as the source for the incipit of the third book of De Modis [28]. The review of the Greek theory by Boethius and its transmission to Gaffurio and Glarean is the main theme of the third book. Mei discusses the subjects of the simplicity of the ancient music in Greek tragedy, which evolved gradually and eventually became corrupted because of range of superficial works of art connected to theatrical representations, and also because of the slow prevalence of the instrumental music over the vocal. He was occupied writing the third book until 71. Restani assumes this book was sent in Rome but not to Vettori most probably [29]. It seems that in the next two years he was totally absorbed in writing the fourth book. He dedicated the book to Vettori [30]. This when gout attacks and possibly kidney disease were slowing him down [31]. The Politics had a significant role in the cultural route of Mei, for Vettori was preparing commentaries on the Politics and consulting Mei [32], and it became the natural course between the guiding lines of the Poetics and the musicological treaties. The musical use of imitative performance, is described in the fourth book, regarding the point of view of the listeners -- or spectator of a Greek tragedy ('homeopathic catharsis'). Mei explains the psychological reactions of the spectator with healing according to medical application of the Aristotelian doctrine. He speaks of the "purification" of the humours as what the ancients said that it is evident that a disease is caused from access of emotion. So that purification from emotion is needed. It appears Mei read in the Politics the relation to "catharsis" as referring to the sacred sphere and specifically "to sacred chants". Later in chapter fifteen of the fourth book of De Modis, Mei uses the first part of the Poetics. He speaks of the Mimesis as the basic element of the creative product. Mei speaks there of mimesis also of mode to state of the soul [33]. Mei concluded that the same people in ancient Greece were musicians and poets. Mei discuses the subject of "simplicity" like positive feature of Greek music, opposite of the negative complexity of the modern music. Mei wrote in his uncompleted tractate about the theme prevalent in the 500's of the potency of the positive psychological effects that music can cause. Restani describes the fourth book as a generalized history pf the Greek music [35]. In this book, he dealt with the different political models of Plato and Aristotle relating to the role music plays in these conditions [36]. His structure of a "centone" typical of the entire tractate, is especially eminent in the fourth book. With includes many citations and hidden paraphrases, almost Alexandrine in nature. The evidently resulting contradictions are used by him to a philological analysis on the formation of the text. For example, Mei suggested regarding a correction to Theodorus of Gaza, that the prefix "ipo" derives from probably Aristoxenus, and is not form the time of Aristotle. In 1573 Mei finished the fourth book of De modis. The work was intended for a limited public of scholars like the author loved [37]. ------ VINCENZO GALILEI. Already from 1572 the ideas displayed in "De modis" have started to circulate to the way of Vincenzo Galilei. (Palisca, Girolamo Mei, 89-117). For whom, Mei's made analysis founded on historical context, of the theoretical elements in their context [38]. The direct approach with texts in their original language, the historically based analysis of the theoretical elements in their context, makes evident the diffusion of the writings of Mei in the circle of the group reunited around Bardi. There are two treatises by Bardi, the "Discorso mandato da Giovanni Bardi a Giulio Caccini", and "Della Musica degli antichi, e delle Macchine Sceniche" which shows Mei ideas reception in this group. Mei was also added in absentia in 1585 to the Academy of the Alterati, which discussed poetry, literary theory and music. Mei sent a tragedy to the group, probably one of the four written in 1560. This is also a clear sign of the interest in dramaturgy of the group. Restani describes the relationship Mei-Galilei as from the teacher to the student. This relationship is proven through the absorbing function of the student. In he Dialogo Galilei transfers without debate, sometimes instead misunderstanding the positions of Mei. Mei, on the other hand, does not pay much attention to hypothesis of Galilei in the letters. On the other hand, in his letters to Vettori - his master - every hypothesis advanced by the philologist is discussed with respect, even if sometimes with persistence. Mei demonstrates much influence from Vettori [44]. There is a testimony in a letter of 9 of November 1577, from Bartoli to Giacomini that Mei's writing were circulating and accepted favorably with the Alterati [45]. Bartoli in a letter to Giacomini testifies that he believes that Mei says the truth, and maximally of the ancient music, and also of the mode of reciting the orations, and speaking in the tragedy. From 1580 and later Mei was already ill and constrained to living in the house. In the end of his last letter to Galilei from 1581 he expresses an opinion that the superiority of Greek music may have been due to rhythmic - yet did not expand on the matter [46]. Mei wrote two tractates in his later years. These include the "Come potesse tanto la musica" [47] and "De' Nomi delle corde del monochordo". The "De' Nomi" proposes method to learn singing without the aid of teachers of music. He corresponded in these years with Pinelli mainly dealing with the work of Guido d'Arezzo and notation [48]. In his last years, in the 92-93 he wrote letters in the function of secretary to Cardinal Altemps until his death in 1594. He was buried in the church of S. Giovanni de Fiorentini. --- Notes: [1] Claude V. Palisca, ed.: "Girolamo Mei (1519-1594): Letters on Ancient and Modern Music to Vincenzo Galilei and Giovanni Bardi," Musicological studies and documents, no. 3 (1960, 2/1977): 15-16 [2] Donatella Restani, L'itinerario di Girolamo Mei: dalla 'poetica' alla musica, con un'appendice di testi (Florence: Olschki, 1990), 18-19 n26 [3] Ibid, 19 [4] Ibid, 20 [5] Ibid, 20 n34 [6] Ibid, 23 [7] Ibid, 23 [8] Restani, L'itinerario, 24; Palisca, Girolamo Mei: Letters, 22 [9] Palisca (see: Girolamo Mei: Letters, 24) suggests that the reason he did not return to Florence might have been a family feud or a lawsuit. However he does not base his assumption [10] Restani, L'itinerario, 29 [11] Ibid, 29 [12] Palisca, Girolamo Mei: Letters, 25 [13] Restani, L'itinerario, 31 n25 [14] Restani, L'itinerario, 32; Palisca, Girolamo Mei: Letters, 25 [15] Restani, L'itinerario, 33 [16] Ibid, 34 n42 [17] Palisca, Girolamo Mei: Letters, 25 [18] Ibid, 26 [19] Ibid, 30 [20] Restani, L'itinerario, 40 n25 [21] Palisca, Girolamo Mei: Letters, 26 [22] Restani, L'itinerario, 47 n62 [23] Restani, L'itinerario, 208-213; Palisca, Girolamo Mei: Letters, 27-29 [24] Restani, L'itinerario, 49 [25] Ibid, 50 n88 [26] Ibid, 51 n91 [27] Palisca, Girolamo Mei: Letters, 30 [28] Restani, L'itinerario, 51-52 [29] Ibid, 52 [30] Ibid, 53 [31] Palisca, Girolamo Mei: Letters, 30 [32] Ibid, 31 [33] Restani, L'itinerario, 55 n116 [34] Ibid, 56 [35] Ibid, 57 [36] Ibid, 58 [37] Restani, L'itinerario, 63; Palisca, Girolamo Mei: Letters, 31 [38] Ibid, 65 [39] Claude V. Palisca, Humanism in Italian Renaissance Musical Thought (New Haven, Yale Uni. Press, 1985), 22 [40 Restani: L'itinerario, 65, Claude V. Palisca, "A Discourse on the Performance of Tragedy by Giovanni De Bardi (?)," Musica Disciplina 37 (1983): 332 [41] Restani: L'itinerario, 67; Claude V. Palisca, "The Alterati of Florence, Pioneers in the Theory of Dramatic Music," Studies in the History of Italian Music and Music Theory (New York: Oxford Uni. Press, 1994), 415 [42] Restani, L'itinerario, 67; Palisca, The Alterati, 415 [43] Restani, L'itinerario, 68 [44] Ibid, 70 [45] Ibid, 72 [46] Palisca, Girolamo Mei: Letters, 178 [47] Ibid, 33 [48] Maria C. 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