La musica a Catania nel Settecento tra collezioni e consumi culturali. Prospettive di ricerca

The aim of this paper is to present some preliminary results of a research project concerning music in Catania during the 18th century, especially in the Benedictine Monastery and the Palace of Ignazio Paternò Castello, Prince of Biscari. Around the middle of the 18th century, cultural programmes in both of these places paved the way for establishing museums with ex- hibitions of antiquarian and natural collections (antiquaria et naturalia), supported by well-fur- nished libraries and activities of Academies. In addition, musical collections emerged, which played a fundamental role in the social life and cultural consumption of the period. The au- thor demonstrates the value of a multidisciplinary approach to research in the history of col- lecting and collectors in Catania during the 18th century.