- stantly demanded—which explains the immense number of works
written and emphasizes the cases in which certain of them were given more than once.
The difficulties with scenery necessitated long waits between acts or scenes, to offset which the intermezzo or the ballet was a relief—the former tending to be a second play within the main one, and the latter becoming ultimately a somewhat permanent addition to the spectacle as a whole.
Until about 1675 the orchestra was usually rather meagre, but brief
preludes, ritornelli and independent numbers in the midst of the action
steadily increased in importance, necessitating a gradual expansion of the
forces. This had a decided influence upon the entire development of instrumental
music (see sec. 112).
81. The Earlier Venetian Opera-Writers.—During the sixty
years from 1637 to 1700 an extraordinary number of operas
appeared in Italy—at least 700. When the list is analyzed, it
appears that about 1670 a decided expansion took place,
due to the rise of independent interest at Bologna and Naples,
and to the fertility of certain writers. Prior to 1670 the
new works averaged four or five per year, but later at least
three times as many. Till long after 1700 Venice kept far
ahead of all other cities in the number of first productions, and
the Venetian style dominated everywhere. The most important
name, after those mentioned, is that of Legrenzi.
In this first period important writers were the following:—
Francesco Mannelli, Ferrari's associate in the first opera-house, where his Andromeda (1637) was the first work, presented 6 others (till 1666) at Venice, Florence, Piacenza and Ferrara.
Benedetto Ferrari (d. 1681), born in 1597 and probably trained at Rome, was early famous as a theorbist and later as a poet (dramatic works, 1644), being the librettist of Mannelli's first two operas and all of his own. After a short term at Vienna, he spent most of his life in court service at Modena. His 8 operas or lesser dramas were mostly given at Venice (1639-64), and the earlier ones were repeated at various places.
Paolo Sacrati (d. 1650), born at Parma, probably lived at Venice, but was finally choirmaster at Modena. To his credit are 7 operas, all at Venice (1639-48). The most famous was the comedy La finta pazza (1641), repeated under his direction at Paris (1645) at the request of the Premier Mazarin.
Andrea Mattioli, from 1646 choirmaster at Imola, from 1653 at Ferrara, and later at Mantua till at least 1671, produced 7 operas (1650-66), mostly at Ferrara, and also issued collections of church music (from 1639).
