The Improvisation of Poetry, 1750 – 1850
A database of commentaries on improvisational performance
A report of a lecture on improvisation delivered at the Royal Institution by the Marquis Moscati, who is himself an improviser. Moscati gives a historically and culturally wide-ranging account of extemporaneous poetry and performs his own improvisations on the topics of music and Poland.
Brun reflects on her enjoyment of the company of the improvisatore Gaspare Mollo, whose fine character and poetic talents she appreciates. She also describes the improvisatore Colubrano, who she claims has a skill of reading his audience’s mind that borders on telepathy, and whose verses are beautiful also. In a note, she mentions Colubrano’s death in Munich at age 45.
In his travel notes, Volkmann describes Italian improvisation as a light diversion typical of that nation. He mentions several famous improvisatori, and notes that improvisation is not a new art form, but has existed for centuries.
Lalande lists and describes the most celebrated improvisatori in Italy, and claims that Lorenzi is the best.