Playing by Heart

by Carmela Martino

  To my surprise, the chapel was already occupied—Maria was on her knees before the altar. When we reached the pew, she rose and said, “Oh, Emmi, God has answered my prayers. Father will be making the arrangements today for me to join the Blue Nuns. Isn’t it wonderful?” Her face radiated joy.

  “God has answered my prayers, too,” I said. “I will soon be betrothed to Antonio Bellini.”

  Maria grabbed my hands in hers. “I’d told you all would be well for both of us.” Maria glanced at Adriana, then whispered in my ear, “just as Mamma said.”

  I’d forgotten about Maria’s dream, or actually, her vision. Maria had indeed inherited Mamma’s gift. I should have had more trust.

  “Come, Emilia.” Adriana pulled me into the pew. “I promised your father we wouldn’t be late.”

  I knelt beside Adriana. Maria stood waiting at the end of the pew. My stepmother said a quick prayer and was soon on her feet again. She took Maria by the arm. “Andiamo.”

  “You two go on ahead,” I said. “I need a moment more.”

  “Very well,” Adriana said. “But hurry.”

  Alone at last, I stared up at the mahogany crucifix above the altar. My mind still struggled to accept the truth: Maria was to be a nun. I was to wed Antonio Bellini. All would be well for both of us.

  The only prayer that came to mind was, “Thanks be to God.”

  Chapter Forty-One: Butterfly Wings

  I met Isabella on the stairs to the dining room. She greeted me with a grin. “Isn’t it wonderful, Emmi?” She waited on the landing for me to join her. “Everything’s working out just as we’d hoped. With Maria taking the veil, I can be the one to wed Lodovico Volpi!”

  Heaven forgive me. In my excitement, I hadn’t thought about Isabella. Now I cringed at the idea of my little sister marrying such a despicable man. “That remains to be seen,” I said. “Father said nothing of Volpi today.”

  Yet even as I spoke, I recalled Father’s earlier words, “It is my will that one of my daughters marry Lodovico Volpi.” After what Adriana had told me about Father’s motives, I knew it would be impossible to change his mind, especially after Volpi had vowed to mend his ways.

  “I shall suggest it to Father myself then,” Isabella said.

  I started to say, “Why would you do such a thing?” but I knew the answer. Isabella longed to avoid poor Zia Delia’s fate, just as I had all these years.

  “There’s no need for haste,” I said. “Your turn will be here soon enough.”

  Isabella’s face brightened. Despite her joy, I still loathed the idea of her marrying Lodovico Volpi. But there was nothing I could do about it.

  ***

  Later that afternoon, I sat in the garden doing needlework beside Adriana when Naldo announced the arrival of Antonio Bellini. On hearing his name, my heart quickened.

  “Good day, Lady Salvini,” Bellini said, bowing to Adriana. “And to you, Lady Emilia.” He smiled, exposing the elusive dimple I loved so much. I couldn’t keep from smiling back.

  “What a pleasant surprise, Signor Bellini,” Adriana said. “I didn’t expect to see you today.”

  “I hope you’ll forgive the intrusion,” Bellini said, “but I wondered if I might have a word with Lady Emilia.”

  “I don’t see why not.” Adriana reached over and squeezed my hand. “It’s such a lovely day, why don’t you show Signor Bellini about the garden, Emilia?”

  “That’s a splendid idea, Signora Madre.”

  Bellini put out his right arm, and I took it. “You must see our oleander hedge, Signor Bellini. The blooms are quite abundant this year.”

  As we approached the hedge, its masses of ruby red flowers came into view. “You weren’t exaggerating,” Bellini said. “I’ve never seen so many blossoms! And look, they’ve attracted butterflies.” He gestured toward two yellow swallowtails fluttering nearby.

  My heart fluttered like the butterflies’ wings—I could hardly believe I was walking in our garden on the arm of my beloved.

  When we were out of earshot, Bellini said, “After you and I last spoke, I never expected to see you again. And now …” He stopped and turned to me. “And now, we’ll soon be betrothed.” His smile lit up his eyes.

  “It’s an answer to my prayers, though God does move in mysterious ways. I’d never imagined Count Cavalieri would approach your father regarding Marquis Bellini’s will.”

  Bellini’s brow wrinkled in puzzlement. “The count said nothing of the will to my father.”

  I let go of his arm. “I don’t understand. Then what made your father change his mind?”

  “Well, it was a conversation I had with Father that led him to give his blessing. Though I confess Count Cavalieri played a role in prompting that discussion.”

  “You? You didn’t want to have anything to do with the marquis.”

  Bellini nodded. “Quite true. But last night, as I was leaving the meeting, Count Cavalieri pulled me aside to tell me what a scoundrel Lodovico Volpi really is. The thought of you wed to someone like him set my blood to boiling. When I asked the count if you knew the truth about Volpi, he told me you did, and that you had in fact volunteered to take your sister’s place so she wouldn’t have to marry him. That was incredibly unselfish of you.”

  “Not really.” I looked down. “Since I couldn’t marry you, it made little difference whom I married.”

  “Nonsense! There are other, more honorable, noblemen you could have married if you hadn’t sought to spare your sister. Indeed, it was your willingness to sacrifice yourself that opened my eyes to my own selfishness.”

  I lifted my face to his. “I still don’t understand. What of the pain it would cause your father for you to accept the marquis’s inheritance?”

  “On our way home from the meeting, I told Father how much I hated the idea of your marrying Volpi, especially given the unselfishness of your motives. Father said you were ‘noble’ in the best sense of the word. I told him I wished I could be half as noble. He was quiet the rest of the way home. This morning, he came into my room and said that if I wanted to accept the marquis’s inheritance, I had his blessing.”

  Bellini’s eyes seemed bluer than ever as he said, “Father’s exact words were, ‘Despite all the hardships we’ve faced, I’ve never regretted marrying for love. My conscience would give me no peace if I kept you from doing the same.’”

  Bellini took my hands in his. His warmth set my fingers ablaze, spreading up my arms and through my whole body. “You were right about one thing, though. God does move in mysterious ways.”

  As if to confirm that Heaven was watching, one of the butterflies flew over to us, fluttering just above our heads. We both laughed.

  Bellini let go of my hands and reached into his pocket. He pulled out some twine—the same flax-colored piece I’d returned to him just the night before.

  I laughed once more. “You don’t think I’ll let you ensnare my wrist again, do you?”

  He shook his head. “I want to show you something.” He looped the twine around his hands and began weaving it back and forth between his fingers. When he was done, he raised his hands and said, “See, a butterfly.” Sure enough, he had shaped the twine into a series of triangles that formed a butterfly’s body and wings. He held his creation out to me as though offering a precious gift. “For you.”

  When I tried to take the butterfly from him, the twine caught and tangled between us.

  We giggled like children as we struggled with the jumble we’d created. Working together, we finally managed to disentangle the twine.

  I held up my hands with the smooth loop laced between them. “You’re going to have to teach me how to do it myself.”

  “It will be a small return for all you’ve taught me.”

  My heart sang at his words.

  About the Author

  Carmela Martino is an author, speaker, and writing teacher who lives in the Chicago area. She wrote the middle-grade novel, Rosa, Sola, while working on her MFA in Writ
ing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College. The novel was named a Booklist “Top Ten First Novel for Youth” and received the Catholic Writer’s Guild Seal of Approval.

  Her other credits for children and teens include short stories and poems in magazines and anthologies. Her articles for adults have appeared in such publications as the Chicago Tribune, Catholic Parent, Writer’s Digest, and multiple editions of the annual Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market.

  Carmela has taught writing workshops for children and adults since 1998, and she blogs about teaching and writing at www.TeachingAuthors.com. You can read more about her at www.carmelamartino.com and follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carmelamartino.

  Acknowledgements

  I am especially indebted to Professor Robert L. Kendrick of the University of Chicago for answering my questions about the music of 18th-century Milan, and to Dorothy Strening, musician and composer extraordinaire, for catching the errors that crept into the manuscript despite all my research.

  My heartfelt thanks also go out to:

  Harpsichordist Diana Mallon, for helping me understand what it might have been like to play a harpsichord in the 1700s.

  Italian teacher Bijou D’Arpa, for proofreading my use of Italian.

  The Windy City Romance Writers of America Chapter, for selecting Playing by Heart winner of the Young Adult Category of their 2013 Four Seasons Romance Writing Contest.

  The Hive, my Vermont College classmates, for their encouragement and support.

  My critique group, the SWLs, for their insightful feedback.

  The Whole Novel Workshop teammates Leanne Pankuch, Karen Halvorsen Schreck, and Mary Sandford.

  Amy Cattapan, for connecting me with my publisher via the Catholic Writers Guild’s online conference, and to Karina Fabian and the other CWG members who helped me polish my pitch.

  Finally, undying thanks to my family for always being by my side, especially my husband, John.

  Author’s Note

  This story was inspired by two amazing sisters who lived in eighteenth-century Milan: musician and composer Maria Teresa Agnesi (1720-1795) and linguist and mathematician Maria Gaetana Agnesi (1718-1799). Their wealthy father, Pietro Agnesi, regularly held academic meetings in their home to show off the girls’ talents as part of his efforts to gain a noble title.

  I first learned about the older sister, Maria Gaetana, after reading an article on little-known women of history. Since my undergraduate degree is in mathematics and computer science, I was surprised I’d never heard of her before. I set out to write a non-fiction biography of Gaetana for young readers. While researching her life for that yet-to-be-published book, I began to wonder what it must have been like for Maria Teresa to live in Gaetana’s shadow. That’s how I came to write Playing by Heart, basing the main character, Emilia Salvini, on Teresa Agnesi.

  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any book-length biographies of Teresa. Much of what I know of her comes from my research of Gaetana (see below). I used that research to incorporate aspects of both sisters’ lives into the novel. For example, the Latin speech my fictional character Maria Salvini gives defending the education of women is modeled after Gaetana’s first known public speech at age nine. My character has Gaetana’s knack for languages, too—Gaetana was fluent in seven languages by her teen years. She also studied philosophy, astronomy, and mathematics. She eventually wrote the first mathematics textbook that covered everything from basic mathematics through algebra, geometry, and the relatively new calculus. In 1750, the pope offered Gaetana a position as a mathematics professor at the University of Bologna. She would have been the first woman mathematics professor, but she turned down the position. She preferred to stay in Milan to focus on charitable work.

  I modeled my main character, Emilia Salvini, on what we know of Teresa Agnesi, who was a gifted musician, singer, and composer. Teresa was one of the first Italian women to write a serious opera, though there’s no record of it ever being performed. We do know that several of her other compositions were performed in Milan’s Royal Ducal Theatre, predecessor to Milan’s famous La Scala Opera House. Unfortunately, much of her work has been lost, including a collection of arias she dedicated to Milan’s ruler at the time, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. The Empress reportedly liked the arias so much that she sang them in her home at the Royal Palace in Vienna.

  Empress Maria Theresa visited Milan only once, while she was still an archduchess. The scenes in the novel depicting that visit are based on firsthand historical accounts. The then-archduchess participated in the ritual of the Holy Nail in May 1739. The ritual is still performed annually in Milan. (You can watch video clips of the ceremony on YouTube.)

  Both Agnesi sisters were well-known in their day. However, that fame did not bring them happiness. Gaetana disliked her celebrity status. She was devoutly religious and longed to serve the poor. Around age 18, she asked her father’s permission to become a nun, but he refused. Her sister, Teresa, wished to marry a poor nobleman named Pietro Antonio Pinottini, but their father refused her as well. At the time, the only respectable position for an upper-class Italian woman was either as a wife or as a nun. Some members of Milan’s aristocracy considered Pietro Agnesi’s failure to make such arrangements for his two eldest daughters scandalous. When the governor of Milan confronted Pietro Agnesi with the rumors, the men had a terrible argument. According to one of Gaetana’s biographer’s, the incident led to Pietro Agnesi’s death from a heart attack less than two weeks later.

  Pietro Agnesi’s death in 1752 made it possible for his daughters to finally live lives of their own choosing. By then, Gaetana was nearly 34 years old. She quickly traded her inheritance for a small annual stipend and devoted the rest of her life to helping the poor.

  Thirty-one-year-old Teresa married Pietro Antonio Pinottini three months after her father’s death, a rather rebellious act, given that she was supposed to still be in mourning. She remained active in Milan’s music scene for many years. In 1770, she was among those who welcomed a barely fourteen-year-old Mozart on his first visit to Milan. Little is known of her life after that, except that she and her husband struggled financially. After his death, Teresa had to sell everything she owned to pay the bills. They had no children.

  A great deal of misinformation has been published about the Agnesi sisters, both in print and online. I’ve created the website www.MGAgnesi.com to dispel some of the myths about Maria Gaetana Agnesi and her family. The site includes information about Teresa and links to websites where you can hear and watch musicians performing her work.

  In researching the life of Gaetana Agnesi, I found the following books the most helpful. Both works mention Teresa, too, though briefly.

  A Biography of Maria Gaetana Agnesi, an Eighteenth-Century Woman Mathematician by Antonella Cupillari

  The World of Maria Gaetana Agnesi, Mathematician of God by Massimo Mazzotti

  The best information I’ve found regarding Teresa Agnesi and her music is in Volumes 3 and 4 of Women Composers: Music through the Ages, edited by Sylvia Glickman and Martha Furman Schleifer.

  Glossary

  (words are Italian, unless otherwise indicated)

  adagio - (musical term) slow tempo

  addio - goodbye (typically when you don’t expect to meet again)

  allegro - (musical term) lively tempo

  andante - (musical term) moderately slow tempo; between adagio and alle-gro

  andiamo - let’s go

  arrivederci - goodbye (until we meet again)

  Ave Maria - (Latin) Hail Mary

  basso continuo - (musical term) bass harmony

  bellissima - beautiful

  brava! - well done! (feminine form)

  buon giorno - good morning or good day

  buona fortuna - good luck

  buonasera - good evening

  cadenza - (musical term) skillful passage near the end of a movement

  carnevale - period between Epiphany and Lent; t
he celebrations during this time

  cassone - chest, particularly a hope chest

  chiacchiera - crispy fried cookie eaten during carnevale (plural is chiacchiere)

  ciarlatani - charlatans or frauds

  coda - (musical term) concluding passage of a piece of music

  commedia dell’arte - improvised theatre based on a set of stock characters

  concerto - (musical term) musical work for a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra

  concerto gros-so - (musical term) musical work for a group of soloists accompanied by an orchestra

  delizioso - delicious

  don - nobleman

  donna - noblewoman; may also mean simply “woman”

  dono divino - (Latin) gift from God

  duomo - cathedral

  eccellente - excellent

  grazie - thank you

  il malocchio - the evil eye

  innamorati - pair of lovers in the commedia dell’arte

  maestro - master or teacher, especially of music

  maestro di cappella - music director for a specific church or chapel

  mea culpa - (Latin) through my fault; an ad-mission of sin

  mille grazie - thank you very much

  molto teneramente - (musical term) very tenderly

  movement - (musical term) section of a musical work, usually differing in key or themes from other sections

  musica lieta - (Latin) joyful music

  nonna - grandmother

  nonno - grandfather

  omnia vincit amo - (Latin) love conquers all

  ora pro nobis - (Latin) pray for us

  panettone - dome-shaped bread containing raisins popular at Christmastime

  per favore - please

  perfetto - perfect

  prescienza - precognition; ability to foresee the future

  presepio - Nativity scene

  porta romana - gate on the road to Rome

  saltarelli - plural of saltarello, see definition below

  saltarello - (musical term) lively piece of mu-sic often used for dancing