La musica. Poemetto

8vo (208x137 mm). 78, [2] pp. Contemporary marbled calf, gilt spine, marbled endleaves, red edges (slightly worn and rubbed). A fine copy printed on blue paper.

First edition, dedicated by the author to Giovanni Paisiello, of this poem on music, which is accompanied by a series of very interesting notes containing detailed information on the history of music, opera, the invention and development of many musical instruments, and the works of several musicians, mostly little known. There are also descriptions of specific instruments and musical manuscripts that the author has personally seen.
Of particular interest are footnote 39, on organs; footnote 48, where the author discusses the fagott, starting with the work of Teseo A. degli Albonesi (1539) and attributing the main technical improvement of the instrument to a certain Afranio, who was in the service of Cardinal Ippolito d'Este; and footnote 49, on the piano, where Dall'Olio discusses the octave scale from Zarlino onwards.
Born in Sesso, near Reggio Emilia, Dall'Olio studied music in Bologna under the guidance of father G.B. Martini. In 1764 he was appointed schoolmaster of the public school of Rubiera and organist of the local Collegiata. In 1784 he moved to Modena as the Duke's accountant. He corresponded with many important artists and scholars, such as Paisiello, Ximenes, Lampredi, Paradisi, Venturi, Ceretti, Corti and Tiraboschi. He wrote novels and poetry, and also devoted himself to the study of archaeology, history and the natural sciences. Dall'Olio was a member of the Accademia dei Dissonanti in Modena, the Accademia degli Ipocondriaci in Reggio, the Accademia dei Teopneusti in Correggio, the Quirini and Aborigeni Academies in Rome, and the Accademia dei Georgofili in Florence. He was also a member of the Agricultural Society and the Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts in Modena. In 1815 he was commissioned to catalogue the collection of musical works of the Biblioteca Estense. He died in May 1823 (cf. C.M., Di Giambattista dall'Olio reggiano notizie biografiche e letterarie con appendici, in: L. Cerretti, "Notizie biografiche e letterarie in continuazione alla Biblioteca modenese", Reggio Emilia, 1833, pp. 1-28).

RISM, v. B6.1, p. 249; Catalogo unico, ITICCUNAPE 14306; G. Gaspari, Catalogo della Biblioteca musicale G.B. Martini di Bologna, Ivi, 1961, I, p. 101 ("Il poemetto è una cosa da nulla, ma le note ond'è corredato sono un gioiello d'erudizione").