Nuevos datos acerca de las primeras audiciones del 'Requiem' op. 23 de Bomtempo en París y Londres

Notas

1. La monografía más reciente sobre el compositor es la de Ladan Taghian Eftekhari, 'Bomtempo (1775-1842) Un compositeur au sein de la mouvance romantique', Paris, L’Harmattan, 2012. En lo que se refiere al contexto más amplio de la música en Portugal durante las primeras décadas del siglo XIX, véase Francesco Esposito, 'Um Movimento Musical como nunca houve em Portugal', Lisboa, CESEM/Colibri, 2016. Disponible en: https://run.unl.pt/handle/10362/21312. En lo que concierne a su vida y obra, sigue teniendo vigencia João Pedro d’Alvarenga (ed.), 'João Domingos Bomtempo', Lisboa, Instituto da Biblioteca Nacional e do Livro, 1993

2. Ernesto Vieira, 'Diccionario biographico de músicos portugueses', Lisboa, Lambertini, 1900. Disponible en: <https://imslp.org/wiki/Diccionario_biographico_de_musicos_portuguezes_(Vieira%2C_Ernesto))>

3. Buen ejemplo de ello, lo tenemos en Joseph Scherpereel, 'João Domingos Bomtempo: musicien portugais (XIXe siècle) : témoignages inédits de sa célébrité pendant son premier séjour (1801-1810)', París, Centre culturel C. Gulbenkian-Portugal, 1993

4. “M. le duc d'Hamilton a donné avant-hier, chez lui, une soirée de musique extrêmement brillante, que S. A. R. M. le duque de Berry a honorée de sa présence. On a exécuté une grande composition d'un caractère sévère et religieux, dont M. Bomtempo est d'auteur, et qui a obtenu le plus grand succès. Elle a été chantée par les artistes les plus distingués de la capitale, au nombre des quels on remarquoit M.me Garat. Celle production, qui sera en tendue cet hiver en public, est 'd'un très grand effet, et ne peut qu'ajouter à la réputation de M. Bomtempo. Cet artiste s'est fait entendre ensuite sur le piano: il est inutile de dire qu'il a enlevé tous les suffrages: son talent est trop apprécié pour avoir besoin de nouveaux éloges.”, Journal des débats politiques et littéraires, 23-8-1819, p. 2

5. “ORATORIO.— DRURY LANE.—ON SATURDAY (Whitsun Eve) will be performed a GRAND SELECTION OF SACRED (Ancient and Modern) MUSIC, under the direction of Sir George SMART, on the same grand scale as the performances on the Wednesdays in Lent at this Theatre.— Early in the First Part, some favourite Pieces from Rossini’s Serious Opera Il Tancredi.— At the end of the First Part, a Grand Military Concerto, Harp, Mr. Bochsa. In the course of the Selection will be introduced, Aria, Mrs. Salmon, “O dolce concento,” accompanied on the Flute by Mr. Nicholson; Concerto, French Horn, Mr. Puzzi; Concerto, Violoncello, Mr. Lindley, who will accompany Mr. Braham in the celebrated Cantata Alexis; Madame G. Bellochi will sing the Cavatina, “Di piacer,” and some favourite Pieces will be performed by the other Principal Singers, Mrs. Salmon, Miss Goodall, Miss Cubitt, and Miss M. Tree; Mr. Braham, Mr. Pyne, and Signor Ambrogetti,— For the first time in this country, a Selection from a New Requiem, composed by Bomtempo.— Several Grand Choruses will ve introduced; also some of the Music in Macbeth. The Performance to conclude, by desire, with Beethoven`s celebrated Battle Sinfonia, for which the Orchestra will be augmented to Two Hundred Performers. Leader of the Band, Mr. Smart. Full particulars of the whole performance, which will commence at Seven, are given in the bills, which may be had at the principal Music Shops. Boxes, Places, and Tickets may be taken at the Theatre, of Mr. Rodwell, from Eleven to Five.” [Anuncio], The Morning Chronicle, 15-5-1820, p. 1

6. “An excellent selection of music was performed on the evening of the 20th being, the termination of the oratorio season. Some of the best pieces from the popular opera of Il Tancredi were given in the first part […]. Other portions of the concert were wholly new to this country. Amongst the novelties we were particularly struck with three movements from the requiem composed in honour of the memory of Camoens, by Bomtempo, a Portuguese musician, whose merits are less known than they deserve. They breathe a melancholy yet highly devotional feeling; the harmonies are original, the solos well defined, and the intermixture of chorusses managed with great skill.” “Theatricals. Drury Lane”, The British Luminary, or Weekly Intelligencer, 27-5-1820, p. 4

7. “It was followed by a few pieces from a new Requiem, composed by BOMTEMPO, to the memory of CAMOENS the Portuguese TASSO, but we thought it an unequal composition; some parts were out of keeping, and unsuited to the expression of that solemn sentiment which is awakened by the memory of the illustrious dead. But there were also parts, particularly the concluding passage Dona Eis requiem, full of sepulchral sublimity. And if we had heard the whole requiem, the unequal parts to which we have alluded, would be found in different relative positions, which, perhaps, would render them more subservient to the general theme.” “Drury-Lane Theatre”, The Morning Herald, 22-5-1820, p. 3

8. Véase, a propósito de este músico y empresario, Ian Taylor, “How to Read a Concert Programme: Programmes from the Papers of Sir George Smart”, Brio, 43, 2006, pp. 7-22. Disponible en: <https://iaml-uk-irl.org/media/Brio_43_2_2006_OCR.pdf>.