A commented translation of 'Méthode facile pour la viola viole d'amour', by Louis-Toussaint Milandre

• Grant number: 22/04794-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2022
• End date: February 25, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Arts - Music
• Principal Investigator: Monica Isabel Lucas
• Grantee: Felipe Galhardi Rodrigues
• Host Institution: Escola de Comunicações e Artes (ECA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/07221-4 - Méthode facile pour la viole d'amour (1777): the use of the viola d'amore in the 18th century, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

The viola d'amore was a musical instrument of undisputable presence throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, having been dedicated works by several composers. However, in the beginning of the 19th century, with the establishment of the orchestra, its usage was gradually restrained until its oblivion. The viola d'amore's revival in 20th centiry's musical performance emerged, primarily, from the interest generated by the Early Music movement. It was in this period that many researchers organized the knowledge referring to its emergence and compiled its repertoire. Nonetheless, one sees that there are no investigations devoted exclusively to its functions throughout the 18th century, its most important period. Therefore, the treatise published by Louis-Toussaint Milandre (fl. 1756-1776), 'Méthode facile pour la viole d'amour' (1777), is relevant not only because it is one of the first works to synthesize the pedagogy of that instrument, but also to enable a deep knowledge regarding the viola d'amore during the period when it was mostly disseminated. This project proposes the translation, with commentaries and a critical display, of the work by Milandre. Besides making available the treatise in Portuguese language, the research will thus bring information about the author and his musical activity, the target public and its insertion amongst the eighteenth-century European treatises of string instruments, apart from discussing specificities about technical topics brought into light by Milandre. (AU)