[Ads-l] Rossini Quotation

ADSGarson O'Toole adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Tue May 15 19:02:06 UTC 2018


Gioachino Rossini did set to music the phrase "E'la lista del bucato"
("It's the laundry list") which occurs in the Opera buffa "Il Barbiere
di Siviglia" ("The Barber of Seville") which premiered in 1816.

https://books.google.com/books?id=bAREAAAAcAAJ&q=bucato#v=snippet&

The opera contains a scene that hinges on the replacement of a love
letter with a laundry list according to Wikipedia:

[Begin excerpt from Wikipedia]
While Bartolo searches his cluttered desk for the official document
which would prove his exemption, Almaviva whispers to Rosina that he
is Lindoro in disguise, and passes a love-letter to her. Bartolo
suspiciously demands to know what is in the piece of paper in Rosina's
hands, but she fools him by handing over her laundry list.
[End excerpt]

Garson O'Toole


On Tue, May 15, 2018 at 1:34 PM, ADSGarson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
> Here is an Italian anecdote from 1864 that features Gioachino Rossini
> delivering a version of the quotation: Give me a laundry list and I
> will set it to music.
>
> Perhaps a list member can improve the Google translation.  The
> anecdote was published while Rossini was still alive. He died in 1866.
>
> On Saturday I shared a 1751 letter containing a statement attributed
> to Rameau that fit within the same family of sayings.
>
> Date: 2 Giugno 1864 (June 2, 1864)
> Periodical: La Scena: Giornale di Musica, Drammatica e Coreografia
> Periodical Location: Naples, Italy
> Year II, Number 5
> Article: Galleria Artistica: Giovacchino Rossini
>
> https://books.google.com/books?id=7V5_04kxkWQC&q=%22lista+del%22#v=snippet&
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> -- Domando mille volte perdono... -- ripigliò l'omiciattolo -- lo sono
> l'abate Tottola, e siccome sono incaricato da Sua Eccellenza Barbaia
> (del quale mi protesto servidore umilissimo) di comporre le opere per
> il S. Cario, così....
>
> -- Così, l'interruppe Rossini, venite a portarmi uno dei vostri
> capolavori. Va benissimo, lasciatemelo qui e a rivederci.
>
> -- Se V.S. crederà necessari dei cangiamenti nella sceneggiatura, nei
> versi od altro mi onorerà comandandomi.
>
> -- Non vi prendete pensiero di ciò più di quello me ne prenda io
> stesso. Mi sentirei capace di vestire di note anche la lista del
> bucato, figuratevi poi un poema vostro.
>
> Compresa o no l'ironia burlesca di queste parole, l'abate inchinatosi
> profondamente, uscì.
> [End excerpt]
>
> [Begin Google translation]
> -- "I ask a thousand times for forgiveness ..." replied the little
> man-I am Abbot Tottola, and as I am commissioned by His Excellency
> Barbaia (of whom I protest as a very humble servant) to compose the
> works for S. Cario, so....
>
> -- "So," interrupted Rossini, "come and bring me one of your
> masterpieces." All right, leave it here and see you again.
>
> -- If V.S. he will believe that changes in the script will be
> necessary, in the verses or else he will honor me by commanding me.
>
> -- Do not worry about it any more than I take it myself. I would feel
> capable of dressing even the laundry list, then imagine a poem of
> yours.
>
> Including or not the burlesque irony of these words, the abbot bowed
> deeply, he went out.
> [End Google translation]
>
> Garson O'Toole
>
>
> On Sat, May 12, 2018 at 5:30 PM, ADSGarson O'Toole
> <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Apologies for the large number of messages, but you do get to see
>> every exciting twist, turn, and revelation. This will be my last
>> message on this topic for many hours.
>>
>> Here is a citation for a letter in French dated 1751 (published in
>> 1756) that contains an instance of the remark ascribed to Rameau
>> (probably Jean-Philippe Rameau who died in 1764).
>>
>> Year: 1756 (MDCCLVI)
>> Title: Les cinq années littéraires, ou lettres de M. Clément, sur les
>> ouvrages de littérature qui ont paru dans les années 1748, 1749, 1750,
>> 1751, & 1752
>> Tome: Second
>> Imprimees: A Berlin
>> Letter Number: 69
>> Date of Letter: 1er Fevrier, 1751 (February 1, 1751)
>> Location of Letter: Paris
>> Start Page 3, Quote Page 5
>> Database: HathiTrust
>>
>> [Begin excerpt]
>> Vous sçavez, MONSIEUR, ce que disoit Rameau, que si on le fâchoit, il
>> mettroit en musique la Gazette d'Hollande: . . .
>> [End excerpt]
>>
>> [Begin Google translation]
>> You know, sir, what Rameau said, that if he was angry, he would put to
>> music the Gazette of Holland. . .
>> [End Google translation]
>>
>> Garson

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



More information about the Ads-l mailing list