Page 125 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2025. Glasbena interpretacija: med umetniškim in znanstvenim┊Music Interpretation: Between the Artistic and the Scientific. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 8

vittorio radeglia and his serenade aux etoiles ...
could be a guide in its interpretation. Finally, they also contained the com-
poser’s notes (annotations) for the correct interpretation of the composi-
50
tion. In addition, each edition included a biographical sketch of the com-
poser and his photo on the cover. 51
The edition of the composition Serenade aux etoiles also has such char-
acteristics. At the beginning of the biographical sketch there is a note about
Radeglia’s Dalmatian origin. Information is given about his schooling in
Milan and Paris, and among his compositional works the operatic works
(Colomba 1887, La Gemma del Karfunkel 1890, Suprema Vis 1903) are high-
lighted. For the remainder of his works, after returning to his native Con-
stantinople after his studies (the compositions Sonata for piano and cello,
Oriental Rhapsody, Suite for piano, Dance of the Sylphs, Dance of the Will-o‘
the Wisp/Danse de feu follet are singled out) he states that there is no pos-
sibility of their public presentation (“He finally returned to his hometown,
where he devoted himself to music teaching, composing a large number of
compositions in the meantime, but never succeeding in bringing them to the
50 Composers expressed the poetic idea in different ways. We find program titles (e.g.
Agghazy), a short non-musical description (e.g. Koss, Radeglia), a description of fe-
elings (e.g. Saar), but also an express refusal to impose an idea outside the music it-
self (e.g. Ferrata). “The ‘Prelude’ means to give expression of noble, manly sentiments;
the ‘Romance’ of tender, lyrical reflections; the ‘Capriccio’ of strength and determina-
tion in life’s stormy days with the suggestion of final victory.” (from Louis Victor Saar:
A Trilogy). “The generating idea and rough outline of this piece came to the composer
while ascending one of the beautiful mountains near Saluda, North Caroline. […] The
‘Toccata Chromatique’ as its title would indicate, is not intended to convey a definite
picture to the mind. It is pure music and its emotional appeal must depend upon the
performer’s conception and the listener’s imagination. It would be easy for the lover of
program music to invent a scene or a story which might have been the basis of the com-
position, but such a program would be merely a personal invention, not the composer’s
idea. That the composer’s mood was one of unrest is proved by the continual chromatic
melody and chord progressions, the surprising modulations with the resultant uncer-
tainty of tonality, the abrupt contrasts between the steady rush of the main theme and
the forceful bass melody, and the constantly changing character of the accompanying
figure. To say, however, that the composer has a program or a definite emotional expe-
rience to record in this work would be untrue. The ‘Toccata chromatique’ must stand
alone upon its merits as pure music.” (from Giuseppe Ferrata: Toccata chromatique).
51 “In short the idea is that to make the study of any composition of greatest value to the
student he should not only know the notes, but should be familiar with the composer’s
life and all the details of the music. This is, indeed, the correct way, and it is to be hoped
that the issuance of these annotated editions will go far to make pupils and teachers
realize that there is more to be learned, when engaged in taking up a new composi-
tion, than the notes which the composer has set on paper.” Anon., “New Piano Study
Guide,” 13.

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