Rescued - Grispini - Bariton(e) Solo

[sami]

Hi all:

I can never seem to resist a puzzle - so thought I'd give this one a try.

To me it looks like his name is H. Grispini

If the word Bariton is actually baritone then possibly its not just a spelling mistake but its written in a different language. A quick look through googletranslate shows 'bariton' translates to 'baritone' in Albanian, Azerbaijani, Croatian, Dutch, Estonian, German, Haitian Creole, Hungarian, Romanian, Slovenian, Turkish, and Welsh. The majority of those languages are eastern European which may give some insight into his background.

Also wondered if the word Bariton was a place name - and wondered if Solo was actually Tolo. I didn't get anywhere with Bariton locations but there is a small town named Tolono in Illinois.

Didn't solve anything, but it was fun to think about 

[PrueM]

Someone with access to US newspapers of the time might be able to find some information. 

[Paul Caswell]

The photographer is listed in this 1869 directory:
 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/edgar/directories/paris-1870.txt

Oooh!! so that's what the Paris ... Illinois means! Its not like London ... New York ... Tokyo its Paris IN Illinois!! For a non-blond I do have my blond moments!! 

Paul

[RunKitty]

Hi,
Very interesting post!!  I have a long shot suggestion... I had a look in the chronicling America site and I found a couple of references to a Mr. Crispini - who is an instrumentalist. 

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82016412/1884-01-29/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=1860&index=9&rows=20&words=CRISPI%27NI&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1895&proxtext=Crispini&y=14&x=9&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

He has been with an opera company.

Perhaps the bariton is an instrument of some kind, rather than a vocal range? 

RK

[RunKitty]

There are a couple of references on the fulton postcards site -- from the 1870s -- about a Mr. Hubert Crispini, xylophonist. 

The second page of the following selection mentions Sr Hubert Crispini playing a trombone.  The date (from previous page) is 1895.

http://cdigital.dgb.uanl.mx/la/1080019194_C/1080019197_T4/1080019197_89.pdf

So, there is a Hubert Crispini who, from the 1870s through the 1890s (at least), is a musician of many talents.  He seems to play a variety of instruments.   Maybe this is your man??

RK

[PrueM]

There is an instrument called the Bariton or Baritonhorn (in German), it's a bit like a euphonium.  It's not a "standard" orchestral instrument though.

[Paul Caswell]

All very interesting ideas.

I also came across something that is unlikely but just a slight possibility its the opera Crispino e la comare

Crispino e la comare (The Cobbler and the Fairy) is an opera written collaboratively by Luigi Ricci and Federico Ricci with an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave.

The premiere took place on 28 February 1850 at the Teatro San Benedetto in Venice.

The work was very popular during the 19th Century, and was an especial favourite of touring Italian companies in the Americas, and in the Asia-Pacific region generally.

It had its London premiere on 17 November 1857 at St James's Theatre, its Calcutta premiere in 1867 at the Calcutta Opera House and its Australian premiere on 11 August 1871 at the Princess's Theatre, Melbourne.

Although I do like RunKitty's Mr. Crispini the musician. I wonder if there are any photos of him anywhere.

[sami]

I've been looking through the Library of Congress website - Chronicling America - digitized Historic American Newspapers dating between 1836 to 1922:

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov

There are a few hits for 'Crispini' but the one that caught my eye was a theatre advertisement in the Pittsburg Dispatch, Sunday March 22, 1891 referring to "Next week - Signor Crispini, the Great Trombone Soloist."

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024546/1891-03-22/ed-1/seq-14/#date1=1860&index=10&rows=20&words=Crispini&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1922&proxtext=Crispini&y=11&x=15&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

Sorry about the length of the last link - but I can't seem to figure out how to shrink them 

[PrueM]

Oh, now that does look promising, Sami