Ciompi Alla Battuto Inna Sicilia

It was extremely bumpy for the Ciompi four that day,
They'd had three rotten flights but were many miles away;
So when they couldn't find the bus, their nerves began to fray,
They swore this was a concert they were never meant to play.
 
But their bags appeared by wonder, and the bus was at their feet,
From Palermo to Catania it didn't miss a beat;
So as Etna grew in stature, their spirits likewise rose,
They knew they'd play the concert (with their fingers, not their toes)!
 
Oh Si-silly is a distant land, with pasta and with fish,
But without a string quartet that can satisfy the wish.
For music - noble, moving - like the Ciompi Quartet plays,
We played, we ate, we loved it all, alas we cannot stay.

We had a wonderful tour in Italy. Our experiences in Sicily and in Rome were fantastic, easily making up for airline follies in getting there and back.

Catania, a city on the east coast of Sicily, is the island's second largest, but is small enough so that one can walk easily around its central area. The buildings and streets are made of the lava from Mt. Etna, which looms over the town. The last huge eruption was in 1693, destroying most of the city. Smaller eruptions are almost constant, creating a perpetual cloud overhanging the peak of the mountain. The good news is that after an eruption, there is plenty of material with which to rebuild.

The city is famous for its markets, one consisting mostly of fish stalls. This was my favorite spot to watch the Sicilians in action, and to scarf an early morning oyster or two. The variety and freshness of the seafood was amazing. Many stalls were decorated with the head and menacing sword of the giant swordfish which is one of the island's specialties.

We had a dinner consisting entirely of fish: first, plates of marinated raw tidbits, followed (unnecessarily) by mounds of shellfish, then a baked white fish for each of us. Our hosts joked, "Well, those were the antipasti; now for the pasta." We couldn't eat another bite, but when a birthday cake arrived for one of the family, we accomplished the impossible.

Our professional activities in Sicily were concerts at the Bellini Theater in Catania, in the Market Auditorium in Syracuse, and a master class at the conservatory in Catania. Vincenzo Bellini is Catania's most famous native son. Is there an American city of medium size which erects statues and names parks for opera composers? The theater is magnificent, modeled on La Scala, with layers of box seats and excellent acoustics. It was a pleasure to play there, and to collaborate again with our host, Epifanio Comis, this time in the Dvorak Quintet.

Syracuse was once a colony of Corinth. It grew so strong that it broke its bonds with the Greek city-state and became a power in its own right. Syracuse contains innumerable Greek and Roman ruins. Our trip there was short, unfortunately, more business than pleasure, but when your business is performing in a charming room in a beautiful villa for an enthusiastic audience, one shouldn't complain.

Our last day in Sicily included a trip up the coast to Taormina, one of Europe's great resort towns, a favorite of Goethe and D.H. Lawrence, and of today's jet-set. Here, on a promontory high above the Ionian Sea is a superb Greek theater, still the setting for plays and music. The view on one side down to the ice-green water is matched by the stunning vista of Etna in the other direction.

We had been invited to perform at the American Academy in Rome. The Academy consists of a compound of villas on one of Rome's seven hills, with lovely gardens and lush grass -- a most un-Italian feature. The grounds were especially beautiful in early spring, with sweet scented wisteria growing all around.

The Academy invites around forty fellows to reside and work there each year. The fellows are mostly scholars in fields where living in Rome is a particular advantage (art history, European history, archeology), but also include artists, writers and composers. Both Steve Jaffe and Scott Lindroth have been fellows in Rome. Caroline Bruzelius of Duke's art history department was director of the Academy several years ago.

We had three nights in Rome, a great view, and the chance to perform at a most distinguished venue for an elite audience. That, for a musician, is a great gig. We took full advantage of the time we had in Rome. Jonathan has visited there often over the years, and he was happy to take us to the best coffee and gelato place in town. One afternoon we spent a few hours reading through quartets by the Academy's current composers. For the concert, we played Haydn, Beethoven Op. 132, and Scott Lindroth's exciting quartet. The next morning we were homeward bound.

- Fred Raimi

Note: See the PRESS page on this site for the review from Sicily.