Counterpoint and Partimento: Methods of Teaching Composition in Late Eighteenth-Century Naples

During the second half of the eighteenth century, the city of Naples had three music conservatories: the Conservatorio di Santa Maria di Onofrio, the Conservatorio di Santa Maria di Loreto, and the Conservatorio di Santa Maria della Pietà de’ Turchini. Through disciplines such as solfeggio, partimento, and counterpoint, the students at these institutions received highly professional training in singing, instrumental playing, and composition. This study reveals new evidence t ...