Solfeggio, Partimento and Marches d’Harmonie: Learning music theory in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries from Naples to Paris

Abstract

Carl Dahlhaus statement that from the Eighteenth century “no Italian music theory has been able to exert any influence beyond Alps, with the exception of the speculative treatises of Giuseppe Tartini and the erudite books of Father Martini” has prevailed for a long time. However, this assumption is not supported by the large corpus of sources relating to music composition pedagogy from the Nineteenth-century, especially in France (solfège, accompagnement, harmonie pratique, contrepoint and marches d’harmonie). Hence, we will present an overview on the Eighteenth-century Neapolitan pedagogy of practical counterpoint (solfeggio, partimento and written counterpoint), and then trace its influence in the way professional musicians learned music composition in the Nineteenth century Paris, mainly at the Conservatoire, but also at the Maîtrises. Based on various primary sources, we aim to underline that the teachings of what is usually called in modern institutions “theoretical subjects” was part of the domain of practical music. Furthermore, we suggest that studying these sources can be provide significant insights into music pedagogy today, although challenging for the modern researcher.