The name of the Croatian violin virtuoso and composer Ivan Mane Jarnović (1747–1804) has somewhat faded from public memory. Only in recent years has his artistic legacy begun to regain recognition. I first came across his music many years ago, when our local chamber orchestra performed one of his symphonies at a festival in Dubrovnik. In the intervening decades I have come to discover that very little is known about this important musical figure who performed in concerts with some of the greatest musicians of his time, including Haydn and Mozart. More than 200 years after his death the story is still incomplete. While we are aware that his life was interwoven with anecdotes of heroism, endurance, showmanship and mastery – as well as tales of a decadent lifestyle that often got him into trouble – little attention has been given to his artistic legacy, so much so that we have lost sight of the seminal role he played in our violinistic heritage. This article offers a glimpse into a little-known corner of Croatian musical culture and specifically into Jarnović’s contribution to the evolution of the violin concerto during the period defined by the Enlightenment – one of modernity and economic development.
MYSTERIOUS BEGINNINGS