Giuseppe Tartini - Lettere e documenti / Pisma in dokumenti / Letters and Documents - Volume / Knjiga / Volume I

96 study: two years for the education of a beginner and just one for those who had already learned the basics of the discipline. Also of interest are the indicated expenses for the “ dozzina ”, i.e. room and board (normally with a family). The student sent to Padua by Pepoli seems to be the same “Paolino” 154 who is men- tioned in a letter of a few months later, in which Tartini announces his arrival in the city. 155 In the following months, one can often read his name in the letters sent to Bologna, where Paolino often goes. Tartini turns to Martini again when his student finds himself devoid of the promised financial support: [Padua on 15 December 1739] [...] I feel it necessary to inform Your Reverence about the beginnings of a problem occurring in relation to Signor Paolino. This is the lack of money for his board and lodging, which here just as everywhere else must be paid in advance. I am not talking about things concerning the school, but I am talking about things concerning his board. I have experienced this with other students, and I can tell you very definitely that lack of money is a main impediment to study. It is absolutely necessary that from month to month the payment of what he needs is made in advance, otherwise everything will go badly for him. And this is as certain as the fact that the young man is already beginning to feel uneasy. I inform Your Reverence in con- fidence, so that in your wisdom you can find a prompt remedy and one that will require no further need to think on the matter. [...] 156 The role Martini finds himself playing in this situation is a peculiar one: given that the young violinist has financial problems, Tartini begs Pepoli’s intermediary to send the money from Bologna. Martini had initially managed the agreement between the spon- sor and the teacher, and hence continued to act as intermediary. Clearly Tartini did not have the necessary familiarity with Pepoli to exert direct pressure on economic matters without causing his likely irritation. These are minor details, but significant ones that throw light on the relations between musicians and the aristocracy. In some instances, Tartini recommended students to Martini, so that they could find in Bologna hospitality and opportunities to study. For his worthy students he was not sparing in his praise, as in the case of the Frenchman Bertau: 157 154 Paolino can be almost certainly identified as Pietro Paolo Guastarobba. Guastarobba is mentioned in the entry “Campagnoli, Bartolomeo” (C. White, in Ng) as teacher of the aforementioned in Modena in 1763 and famous student of Tartini’s. A letter of his to Martini dated 20 September 1740 is in I-Bc (S2519). Guastarobba writes to him from Padua and calls Tartini “ gran Maestro ”; the young man asks Martini to forward to his sponsor a request for money to purchase a new violin. 155 Letter 22. 156 Letter 24. 157 Very uncertain is the identification with “Martin Berteau”, for whom see the entry in Ng.