The festive music of the Nani composers with special reference to Paolo Nani (1814-1904) and Anton Nani (1842-1929)

Abstract

Sacred music is that type of music intended to be performed during sacred rites of the Roman Catholic Church, or any other religion, to the texts for public worship. Religious music is based on religious themes but is not necessarily intended to serve the purpose of religious worship only. How sacred is this music? Paolo and Anton Nani who both studied in Naples have turned out to be successful examples of the Neapolitan School. Naples and Venice then were the chief musical centres in Italy. Italy was the mainstream that influenced Maltese music. The influence of Gaetano Donizetti and other Italian composers could not have escaped Nanis' way of composing. They dedicated their lives to the Cappella Nani. They were never appointed as Maestri di Cappella at the Mdina Cathedral and at the Conventual Church of Saint John's in Valletta. The aim of this dissertation is to outline Paolo and Anton Nani‟s musical achievements in sacred compositions. It was thus felt appropriate to divide this study into two volumes. Volume one is biographical, historical, descriptive, analytical with commentary and appendices while volume two presents a modern edition of the seven chosen compositions with general editorial policy, critical notes and critical commentary. Chapter one outlines the composers‟ biographies, chapter two is a historical background with an insight into the history of sacred music before and at the time of the Nani family. Chapter three analyses the seven chosen compositions accompanied by an analysis of Form and Structure, Harmony, Text-Music relationship, Texture, Themes and Thematic Unity while chapter four shows the musical influence and comparisons of Paolo and Anton Nani on contemporary Maltese musicians. Chapter five is a conclusion. Appendices and bibliographies conlude volume one. Volume two includes the General Editorial approach, the edited scores, critical notes and a critical commentary. The chosen Nani music will be evaluated for its creativity, originality, idiom, form, built-up structures elaborations, imitations, texture, tonality, (instrumental and vocal), technique, and emotions, voice exchanges, harmony, (homophonic or polyphonic) orchestration, historical perspectives, counterpoint, fugues, rhythm, timbre, modulations, harmonic richness, and dramatic power. The overall settings, the melody line, the harmonic material and form constitute the core of the analysis. Antiphons are mostly homophonic, but antiphons by Paolo and Anton Nani are a mixture of homophonic and polyphonic structures. The antiphon by its nature must have a beautiful melody, be easily followed and sung by the congregation gathered in churches, whose participation in singing usually is the climax of every year‟s feast celebration.