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The finding of the "Annotazione" (note) about Filippo Gragnani's death in the "Registro dei Morti" (Register of Deaths) of the Church of St. Martino di Salviano in Livorno rectifies this date to 1820. The register from 1809 to 1874, dated 29 July 1820 (p. 80), reports in fact the following note:

Filippo del fu Antonio Gragnani e della fu   Anna M.a Bianchi di an. 59 morì ieri alle ore 7 del matt.o   munito dei SS.Sacr.i. e della raccomandazione dell'anima, oggi fu associato a q.ta Chiesa, e sepolto in q.to Cimitero

[Filippo, son of the late Antonio Gragnani and the late Anna Maria Bianchi, 59 years old, died yesterday at 7 a.m., fortified by the last sacraments; today the remains were consecrated at this church and were buried in this churchyard] [Source: Archivio Diocesano di Livorno]

other stuff
The Harvard Dictionary of Music

Venetian instrumental music from Gabrieli to Vivaldi By Eleanor Selfridge-Field http://books.google.com/books?id=_OJUaSLS9yUC&lpg=PA175&dq=ziani&pg=PA171#v=onepage&q=ziani&f=false

=Pietro Andrea Ziani= Pietro Andrea Ziani (Venice, 21 December 1616 - Naples, 12 February 1684) was a Italian composer, organist and priest. Also uncle to the composer Marc Antonio Ziani.

Pietro Andrea Ziani Biography - (b Venice, 1616 ; d Naples, 1684 )

translated From It Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Pietro Andrea Ziani ( Venice, 21 December 1616 - Naples , 12 February 1684 ) was a composer and organist Italian , uncle of composer Marc Antonio Ziani.

Ziani on youth and on his studies and nothing is known. His first musical activity known to us is that of organist at the Church of San Salvatore in Venice, from which 19 March 1639 he became deacon and shortly after, December 22, 1640, was ordained a priest. Also back in 1740 his first surviving work, op. 2, which is a collection of 24 motets. In the carnival of 1654 he made his debut as a composer of works with the Spartan warrior Theatre Sant'Apollinare. From May 15, 1657 al 21 June 1659 was choirmaster of the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo, succeeding Maurice Cazzati. In 1660 he began his relationship with the Habsburgs : in that year devoted his Op.6 Archduke Charles Ferdinand of Tyrol in 1662 was in Innsbruck in 1663 and became vice-Kapellmeister at the Habsburg court in Vienna. Between December 1666 and January 1667 was in Dresden to represent some of his plays and for the sacred marriage between sassionia elector John George III and Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark. On January 20, 1669 was appointed first organist, succeeding Francesco Cavalli, the Basilica of San Marco in Venice and early 1676, with the death of the horse, trying unsuccessfully to become director of the chapel, a post to which he aspired much. This was probably disappointed that in 1677 brought him to Naples, the city which had already been four years earlier and where he staged several of his works. The good reputation that he is here charged that he was offered a teaching post at the Conservatory of Sant'Onofrio Porta Capuana, the honorary post of organist at court and in 1680 the post of master of the Chapel Royal. This prestigious position gave him the opportunity to revive his old dramas on the stage, who had already represented in the past in Venice and Vienna. Considerations about the artist [ edit ]

Ziani belongs to those Venetian composers, which led to the ' work beyond the Alps and especially in Vienna. In his early plays, he usually follows the line by Monteverdi, Cavalli, while in later adopt the style more sharply Antonio Cesti. The books show that uses elements of both serious and funny that rarely take heroic or historical subjects, which will begin to be more common towards the end of the century.

The speakers of Ziani similar characteristics to its operations, but these shows is more emphasis breadth of musical elements, such as the use of counterpoint.

His church sonatas approach those of Giovanni Legrenzi and Maximilian Blacks. Esse sono a tre o quattro movimenti, si aprono con una fuga e si chiudono con una giga fugata. They have three or four movements, opening with a drain and close with a jig dispelled.

High importance has held Ziani correspondence with his friend Marco Faustini, Venetian impresario, which documents the complex process of preparation work in the years 1665-6.In these letters was highlighted in particular the speed with which these plays were made: for example, Ziani claimed to have music the 'Hannibal in Capua in just five days. Lavori [ modifica ] Works [ edit ] Opere [ modifica ] Works [ edit ]

* La guerriera spartana (dramma per musica, libretto di Bartolomeo Castoreo, 1654, Venezia) The Spartan warrior (dramma per musica, libretto by Bartholomew castoreum, 1654, Venice) * Eupatria (dramma per musica, libretto di Giovanni Faustini, 1655, Venezia) Eupatria (dramma per musica, libretto by Giovanni Faustini , 1655, Venice) * Le fortune di Rodope e Damira (dramma per musica, libretto di Aurelio Aureli, 1657, Venezia) The fortunes of Rhodope and Damir (dramma per musica, libretto by Aurelio Aureli , 1657, Venice) * L'incostanza trionfante, ovvero il Theseo (dramma per musica, libretto di Francesco Maria Piccioli, dopo Plutarco, 1658, Venezia) The fickleness triumphant, or Theseo (dramma per musica, libretto by Francesco Maria Piccioli, after Plutarch , 1658, Venice) * Antigona delusa da Alceste (dramma per musica, libretto di Aurelio Aureli, 1660, Venezia) Antigona disappointed by Alceste (dramma per musica, libretto by Aurelio Aureli , 1660, Venice) * Annibale in Capua (dramma per musica, libretto di Nicolò Beregan, 1661, Venezia) Hannibal in Capua (dramma per musica, libretto by Nicholas Beregan , 1661, Venice) * Gli scherzi di Fortuna subordinato al Pirro (dramma per musica, libretto di Aurelio Aureli, 1662, Venezia) Jokes Fortuna subject to Pirro (dramma per musica, libretto by Aurelio Aureli , 1662, Venice) * Le fatiche d'Ercole per Deianira (dramma per musica, libretto di Aurelio Aureli, 1662, Venezia) The labors of Hercules for Deianira (dramma per musica, libretto by Aurelio Aureli , 1662, Venice) * L'amor guerriero (dramma per musica, libretto di Cristoforo Ivanovich, 1663, Venezia) The love warrior (dramma per musica, libretto by Christopher Ivanovich , 1663, Venice) * Oronisbe (componimento drammatico per musica, libretto di Antonio Draghi, 1663, Vienna) Oronisbe (dramatic music composition, libretto by Antonio Draghi , 1663, Vienna) * La congiura del vizio contro la virtù (scherzo musicale, libretto di Donato Cupeda, 1663, Vienna) The conspiracy of vice against virtue (joke musical libretto cupedia Donato, 1663, Vienna) * La ricreazione burlesca (dramma per musica, 1663, Vienna) Recreation burlesque (dramma per musica, 1663, Vienna) * L'invidia conculcata dalla Virtù, Merito, Valore della SC Mta di Leopoldo imperatore (componimento drammatico, libretto di Antonio Draghi, 1664, Vienna) Envy trampled by Virtue, Merit, Value of SC MTA Emperor Leopold (dramatic composition, libretto by Antonio Draghi , 1664, Vienna) * Circe (dramma per musica, libretto di Cristoforo Ivanovich, 1664, Vienna) Circe (dramma per musica, libretto by Christopher Ivanovich , 1664, Vienna) * Cloridea (dramma per musica, libretto di Antonio Draghi, 1665, Vienna) Cloridea (dramma per musica, libretto by Antonio Draghi , 1665, Vienna) * Doriclea (dramma per musica, libretto di Giovanni Faustini, 1666, Venezia) Doriclea (dramma per musica, libretto by Giovanni Faustini , 1666, Venice) * L'onore trionfante (dramma per musica, libretto di Domenico Federici, 1666, Vienna) Honor Triumphant (dramma per musica, libretto by Domenico Federici , 1666, Vienna) * Elice (introduzione ad un regio balletto, libretto di Domenico Federici, 1666, Vienna) Elice (introduction to a Royal Ballet, libretto by Domenico Federici , 1666, Vienna) * Galatea (favola pastorale per musica, libretto di Antonio Draghi, 1667, Vienna) Galatea (pastoral tale of music, libretto by Antonio Draghi , 1667, Vienna) * Alcide (dramma per musica, libretto di Giovanni Faustini, 1667, Venezia) Alcide (dramma per musica, libretto by Giovanni Faustini , 1667, Venice) * Semiramide (dramma per musica, libretto di Matteo Noris, dopo Giovanni Andrea Moniglia, 1670, Venezia) Semiramide (dramma per musica, libretto by Matteo Noris , after Giovanni Andrea Moniglia, 1670, Venice) * Ippolita reina delle amazzoni (3° atto) (dramma per musica, libretto di Carlo Maria Maggi, 1670, Milano; composto in collaborazione con Lodovico Busca e Pietro Simone Agostini ) Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons (3rd place) (dramma per musica, libretto by Carlo Maria Maggi , 1670, Milan, made in collaboration with Louis Busca and Simon Peter Agostini ) * Heraclio (dramma per musica, libretto di Nicolò Beregan, 1671, Venezia) Heraclio (dramma per musica, libretto by Nicholas Beregan , 1671, Venice) * Attila (dramma per musica, libretto di Matteo Noris, 1672, Venezia) Attila (dramma per musica, libretto by Matteo Noris , 1672, Venice) * Chi tal nasce tal vive, ovvero l'Alessandro Bala (dramma per musica, libretto di Andrea Perrucci, 1678, Napoli) Who that is born that lives or the Alexander Bala (dramma per musica, libretto by Andrea Perrucci , 1678, Naples) * Candaule (dramma per musica, libretto di Adriano Morselli, 1679, Venezia) Candaules (dramma per musica, libretto by Adriano Morselli, 1679, Venice) * Enea in Cartagine (dramma per musica, libretto di MA Catania, 1680, Palermo) Aeneas in Carthage (dramma per musica, libretto by MA Catania, 1680, Palermo) * L'innocenza risorta, ovvero Etio (dramma per musica, libretto di Adriano Morselli, 1683, Venezia) Innocence reborn or Etio (dramma per musica, libretto by Adriano Morselli, 1683, Venice)

=Antonio Gragnani= Cyclopedia of music and musicians (Volume 2) by John Denison Champlin http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/john-denison-champlin/cyclopedia-of-music-and-musicians-volume-2-mah/page-75-cyclopedia-of-music-and-musicians-volume-2-mah.shtml

=Antonio Gragnani= http://www.bromptonsauctioneers.com/Reference-Guide/Reference-Feature-Stories-Articles/Antonio-Gragnani.html Antonio Gragnani was one of the most elegant and stylish of eighteenth century Italian makers. Working only shortly after the demise of the greatest makers of Cremona, but almost contemporary with G.B. Guadagnini, Graganani hung onto the principle of fine craftsmanship and high finish while many others declined into hasty and poorly-conceived work in the rapid expansion of lutherie as a profession throughout Europe.

Working from around 1765 until the end of the century in Livorno on the Ligurian coast of Italy, he almost certainly learned his craft in Florence, a mere fifty kilometres eastward. His work has strong elements of Giovanni Baptista Gabrielli and of his contemporaries Lorenzo and Tomasso Carcassi, the dominant Florentine makers of the period. Typically Florentine work has a fine, if slightly glassy varnish, and a strong tang of Stainer in the modelling, the sweep of the soundholes and the tight spiral of the scroll. Stainer was certainly a defining influence at the time, over and above the Cremonese, but Graganani successfully integrated Stradivarian ideas into his designs.

While the Carcassi brothers work became rather slipshod towards the end of the eighteenth century, Gragnani in Livorno retained a firm discipline in all his efforts. Sometimes the arching became a little high and pinched, but always immaculately executed. The dominant sense of his designs is an elongated, almost Modigliani-like elegance, far removed from the well-rounded Stainer form, and possibly influenced by the ‘long pattern’ of Stradivari, although the instruments themselves are not oversized. While the F’s retain a certain Stainer swing to them, they too are elongated and beautifully laid along the smoothly cylindrical arching of the table.

Gragnani generally chose fine timber- close, straight-grained spruce and well flamed maple of conventional cut and appearance, and a golden-yellow varnish, which ages well, but lacks the supple texture of classical Cremonese recipes.

Two- or three- distinctive elements identify Gragnani’s work. The most obvious being the idiosyncratic but charming head. The long, swan-necked pegbox is sinuously carved throughout its length, with the sides curving inward toward the top of the pegbox mortice, and the back flared out to a full, deeply fluted width. The chamfers are small and precisely cut, and to accentuate the longitudinal flow of the pegbox, the head has a strong ovality to the spiral. Secondly, Gragnani chose to use whalebone for the black elements of his purfling. As far as I am aware he is unique in Italy in this respect, although it was common practice amongst makers in the Netherlands during the previous century. Whether the port of Livorno had any special access for whaling ships I do not know, and the Mediterranean does not seem a likely hunting ground, but nevertheless whalebone was a widely used material in many crafts, used for its dense, smooth surface and supple, plastic qualities. The polished texture of whalebone is distinctive under low magnification and usually easy to see in the purfling of violins. For the white core, Graganani generally used beechwood, like his Florentine colleagues.

Lastly, Gragnani seemed determined to make his mark as a distinctive and individual maker- so much of his work is conscientiously different, yet always carefully crafted to the highest standards, and he imposed his brand mark conspicuously on almost every part of the instrument. However, the large ‘AG’ mark turned out not to be a deterrent to fakers and forgers, if that was indeed his intention. As is often the case, the more idiosyncratic a style, the more tempting it is to forgers, who know only too well that experts will quickly seize on such marks as signs of authenticity. Early in their career, the Voller brothers even managed to export Gragnani copies, clearly marked with their own home-made AG brand and fitted out with ebony rather than whalebone purfling, to Florence itself

http://www.violinadvisor.com/pricehistory.htm Antonio Gragnani (1740-1794) worked in Livorno. His instruments show the influence of Stradivari, Amati, and Gagliano, and are noted for their tonal fullness and brilliance. His instruments are generally branded "A.G." on the button and at the end pin. At auction, they have increased at an average annual rate of 9.3%.

=LUCCHESI, GIULIO MARIA= LUCCHESI, GIULIO MARIA, born at Pisa, Italy, middle of the 18th century, died (?). Virtuoso on the violin, pupil of Moriano and Nardiui, and in counterpoint of Cecchi ; lived for a long time in Vienna, [ then entered the service of the Archbishop of Salzburg, and in 1799 returned to Italy. Works : Symphonies for orchestra ; 3 duos for violins, op. 1 ; do., op. 2 ; sonatas for pianoforte and violin, op. 3 ; Vocal music. Fetis.

Original Message
From: "John Schnur"  To: e.vulpiani@libero.it Sent: 13/04/10 11:22 AM Subject: Wikipedia article on the Lyre-guitar

Dear Ms Vulpiani,

Please excuse the fact that this email is in English and not in Italian.

I am presently preparing a short article for the English Wikipedia on the Lyre-guitar. My research has led me to your website as a major source on this interesting subject. I have recently created a Wikipedia article on Pierre Jean Porro which revealed that an article for this instrument was needed. I have also recently completed articles on Gaspar Sanz, Cristofaro Caresana and Antoine De Lhoyer all for the English Wikipedia. I am not a professional music historian, rather a student of the classical guitar who has developed deep interest in the history of the development of the guitar and its cousins.

I am writing to obtain permission to use some images from your website at http://www.eleonoravulpiani.com/lyre.htm specifically: Are you claiming copyright on these images? If so, would you give permission to use the images on Wikipedia? If you are not the copyright holder, would you be so kind to indicate who I should contact for permission. I would particularly like to know the approximate date and photographer or origin of that charming photograph (fanciulla.jpg).
 * fanciulla.jpg
 * mahler.jpg

Also, after reading your history of the lyre-guitar I would like to clarify the following questions
 * You imply that the French luthier Pierre Charles Mareschal invented the lyre-guitar. Is this correct? If so what year and do you have a source that I can quote?
 * You state that Marie Antoinette played the lyre-guitar: again a source would be valuable.
 * Is the lyre-guitar tuned the same as a classical guitar?

I will of course provide proper attributions to any information that your scholarship has provided and I intend to provide links to your website from Wikipedia for further reference. On a more personal note I wish to express my admiration to the important work that you have done to champion this beautiful instrument both in terms of history and performance.

Yours Sincerely John Schnur

Reply
Dear Mr Schnur, thank's for your kind e-mail. I'm very happy that you appreciate my work. I'm very interesting in your articles in the web. Where I can find the web addresses of these?

You can use freely the images of my website.

For the picture by Mahler I took the image from a web address that is no longer available. I don't remember the font. Then I think that you can use the image in wikipedia if you find the font or the museum where is this picture. I don't can help you in this case.

For the image 'fanciulla' I asked permission to use to Gregg Miner that has use this photo in the seguennt page of his website:

http://www.harpguitars.net/iconography/icon-relatives.htm

You can send an e-mail to him which is a very nice person!

The French luthier Pierre Charles Mareschal invented the lyre-guitar. The font that I have consulted: "Plagiat dénoncé aux musiciens et aux amateurs des lyres nouvelles", 1780, by P. C. Mareschal.

Marie Antoinette played the lyre-guitar. The font that I have consulted:

article " La lyre-guitare" in "Les Cahiers de la Guitare", 1988, by D. Ribouillault.

Yes: the lyre-guitar tuned the same as a classical guitar.

I hope I was helpful. I'm available for any other information.

One question: you are German? and.. sorry for my bad english!!

All my best and thank you,

Eleonora

Lyre-guitar sources
The instrument maker, Marchal is listed in Zuth,(Note 19) but Zuth does not mention his rare pamphlet on the lyre guitar, the instrument discovered by Marchal: Plagiat dénoncé aux musiciens et aux amateurs des lyres nouvelles, inventées par Mareschal, Luthier à Paris. 15 pp. 0,20 X 0,125 (concerning this brochure see Fryklund, Studier över lyragitarren, pp. 20, 32,33). The only known copy of the brochure is in the library of the Brussels Instrument Museum. Matanya Ophee’s article mentioned above contains a full facsimile of it.