Listy muzyków Stanisława Mateusza Rzewuskiego (1662-1728) do Giovanniego Antonia Ricieriego

The Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica in Bologna (no. H.66) has in its collections letters sent by court musicians employed by Stanisław Mateusz Rzewuski (1662–1728), Grand Hetman of the Crown, to the former kapellmeister G.A. Ricieri. Thanks to this correspondence we know that a 13-strong vocal ensemble was active at the hetman’s court in 1728. The surviving names of Italian and Polish musicians include those of Camila Pola, Giovanna Graziola, Janina Więckowska, male soprano Stefan Jaroszewicz, male contraltos Kazimierz Drewnowski and Bartolomeo Straparapa, bass Marcin Paprocki and court oboist Pompeo Perini. The letters also mention the repertoire performed at Rzewuski’s court in Lvov in 1727–1728, namely operas by the previous kapellmeister, G.A. Ricieri —L’inganno punito and L’Imeneo preteso — as well as compositions by the then leader of the ensemble, G.M. Nelvi — dramma per musica L’amor nato tra l’ombre, cantata Le ninfe sdegnate, church concertos for bass, including Summi cives, and litanies.