piccolo in E♭ unisonous with the clarinet in E♭ alt, but commonly named piccolo in F deserve careful study.
[ W. H. S. ]
PICCOLO PIANO, a low upright pianoforte introduced by Robert Wornum of London in 1829. The novelty consisted first in its small size, and then in the application of a new action invented by Robert Wornum and patented three years before. [See Pianoforte.] Though the strings were placed vertically, the height of the Piccolo piano did not exceed 40 inches. The facile touch gained by the new mechanism soon attracted the attention of the musical public, and with its long since proved durability has made it a favourite model of action for the manufacturers of the present day both here and abroad. The 'piccolo' was finished to stand out in the room away from the wall; its original price was 36 guineas.
[ A. J. H. ]
PICCOLOMINI, Maria, born 1834 [App. p.749 "the date of birth is 1836, as given by Pougin, Paloschi, and Mendel"] at Siena, of the well-known Tuscan family. Being passionately fond of music she determined to become a public singer; and in spite of opposition from her family, studied under Signors Mazzarelli and Pietro Roniani [App. p.749 "Signora Mazzarelli and Signor Pietro Romani"], both of Florence, and made her début in 1852 at La Pergola as Lucrezia Borgia; she afterwards played at Rome, Siena, Bologna, etc., and in 1855 at the Carignan Theatre, Turin, as Violetta in 'La Traviata,' on its production there, and was highly successful. She made her début in London at Her Majesty's Theatre, May 24, 1856, in the same opera, then produced for the first time in England. She immediately became the fashion, partly on account of her charming little figure, and clever, realistic acting—especially in the last act, where she introduced a consumptive cough; and partly perhaps on account of the plot of the opera, which excited much indignation and a warm newspaper controversy.[1] She next played Maria, in the Figlia, and Norma, with fair success. Whatever might be the merits of her acting, of her singing there were many adverse opinions; for instance, Chorley writes 'Her voice was weak and limited, a mezzo-soprano hardly one octave and a half in compass. She was not sure in her intonation, she had no execution.… Her best appearance was in La Traviata.' He admits that Mdlle. Piccolomini 'had the great gift of speaking Italian with a beautiful easy finished pronunciation such as few have possessed, and so for a while she prevailed where less appetizing pretenders to favour had failed.' She afterwards played at the Théâtre des Italiens, Paris. Mdlle. Piccolomini reappeared for the seasons of 1857 and 58 at Her Majesty's, and added Adina (L'Elisir) (described by Mr. Henry Morley[2] as one of her best acted parts), Zerlina and Susanna of Mozart; Arline in the Italian version of 'The Bohemian Girl'; Lucia, in 'Luisa Miller,' on the production of that opera June 8, 1858; and 'La Serva Padrona' of Paisiello, July 5, 58.[3] She then went to America, and made a great success. In 59 she played a short engagement at Drury Lane with diminished effect, and for a few nights in 60 at Her Majesty's, and took farewell of the stage April 33 [App. p.749 "April 30, the occasion was the second performance of the opera, which had been produced on the 26th of the month"], as Almina, in a new opera of that name by Campana, and in a duet from 'I Martiri' with Giuglini. Soon after this she married the Marchese Gaetani. She nevertheless returned to the stage for four nights in 1863, and generously gave her services in aid of the benefit organised at Drury Lane for her old manager Lumley, having travelled to England for that express purpose. [App. p.749 "In 1884 a testimonial was set on foot for the artist, who was reported to be in reduced circumstances. ('Daily News,' March 21, 1884.)"]
[ A. C. ]
PICHEL, Wenzel, good violinist and prolific composer, born 1740 at Bechin, Tabor, Bohemia. Having received a good education, general and musical, he went to Prague to study philosophy and theology at the university, and counterpoint under Segert. Here he formed a friendship with Dittersdorf, who engaged him as first violin in the band of the Bishop of Grosswardein. Having spent two years as Musikdirector to Count Louis von Hartig in Prague, he entered the orchestra of the court theatre at Vienna, and was sent thence, on the recommendation of the Empress, to Milan, as compositore di musica to the Archduke Ferdinand. He now took as much pains in perfecting himself by intercourse with Nardini, as he had previously done in the case of Dittersdorf. He visited all the principal cities of Italy, and was elected a member of the Filarmonici both of Bologna and Mantua. The occupation of Milan by the French in 1796 drove the Archduke back to Vienna, and Pichel not only accompanied him, but remained in his service till his death on Jan. 23, 1805, in spite of an offer twice renewed of the post of Imperial Capellmeister at St. Petersburg. Pichel's industry was extraordinary, and that his compositions were popular is proved by the fact that a large part of them were published in Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Offenbach, and Vienna. He sent a complete list in 1803 to Dlabacz, the Bohemian lexicographer, who inserted it in his 'Allgem. hist. Künstler-Lexicon für Böhmen' (Prague, 1815). An abstract of the extraordinary catalogue is given by Fétis and Gerber. The works—nearly 700 in number—include 88 symphonies; 13 serenatas; violin-concertos and solos; duets, trios, quartets and quintets for strings; concertos for various wind instrumenta; sonatas, etc., for PF.; 14 masses, and many church works of various kinds; 25 operas to German, Latin, French, and Italian librettos; and 'Sei Ariette,' words by Metastasio, op. 42 (Vienna, Eder). For Prince Esterhazy he composed 148 pieces for the baryton in several parts; and in addition to all wrote a Bohemian translation of Mozart's Zauberflöte.
[ C. F. P. ]
PIECE. This word, which in the 17th and 18th centuries was used generally for a literary composition (for examples see the criticisms in
- ↑ This drama was formerly forbidden on the English stage; but Mme. Modjeska, the Polish actress, has played in a modified version of the same at the Court Theatre during the season of 1880 with very great success.
- ↑ 'Recollections of an Old Playgoer.'
- ↑ Having sung the music previously at Mr. Benedict's annual concert, June 21, at the same theatre.
