1881: Jeannette Leonard Gilder and Joseph Benson Gilder [eds.], The Critic, volume 1, page 154 (The Critic Printing and Publishing Company)
Mr. F.H. Cowen, the young English composer and conductor, has just brought out a new composition, a “Sinfonietta” in A, of which the Athenæum says: “So far as we are aware, the title has never before been used by a composer, and Mr. Cowen may therefore be credited […”]
Amongst composers who are helping to bring up the standard of English music is Mr. F. H. Cowen, a “sinfonietta” by whom was in the programme of the Philharmonic Society last month. In respect of this pleasant and clever work, credit must be given to the composer for not descending — we use the word deliberately — to what is called “programme music”, but electing the worthier task of producing effect by form — a word of infinite width in music — alone: but at the same time it may be pointed out that the use of a peculiar scalar idiom, and the construction of rhythms in alternations of duple and triple time, features of this sinfonietta, are but cheap tricks, at which although the more foolish amongst an audience will prick up their ears, the wiser will shake their heads.
1892: Louis Charles Elson, The Realm of Music: A Series of Musical Essays, Chiefly Historical and Educational, page 54 (New England Conservatory of Music)
It was natural that he should have used the four-movement form in his sonatas, although Haydn and Mozart had only used it in their string quartets or orchestral works; for with Beethoven everything was handled in an orchestral manner, and many of his sonatas could easily have been turned into symphonies or sinfoniettas.
1810, April 18th: Camillo Antona-Traversi [ed.], Ugo Foscolo nella Famiglia: Con Lettere e Documenti Inediti e un’Appendice de Cose Inedite o Rare a Cura di Domenico Bianchini, part VI: “Frammenti di Lettere del Conte Giovanni Battista Giovio e del Figlio di Lui Benedetto”, page 497 (1884 publication; Ulrico Hoepli)
« La tenue coserella che Le trasmetto, accolgala Ella come un vivo testimonio della memoria gradevole che conservo ognor di Lei. L’altro esemplare il dia al nostro Foscolo. È una sinfonietta d’umilissimo tono, colla quale io feci l’ouverture d’una nostra Società (a). Mi prendo la libertà di spedire anche questa a Lei, perchè in tutto quest’anno non giunsi mai a sapere in qual numero e casa alloggi Foscolo…. « P. S. Quantunque siano già quasi due mesi che Foscolo non mi scrive, pure Ella dicagli in mio nome mille cose. »
The little something that I send you, receive it as a living testament to the pleasant memory of you that I keep always. The other copy give to our Foscolo. It is a sinfonietta of humble tone, that I made the overture of our Society. I take the liberty of also sending this to you, because all of this year I never came to know in which number and house Foscolo was staying ... p.s. Although Foscolo has not written to me for two months now, yet she tells him a thousand things in my name.
1884?: Accademia Nazionale Virgiliana and Reale Accademia Virgiliana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, Atti e Memorie, volume 69, page 147 (L’Accademia)
[…] bramo, et che lei con tanta benignità mi vol concedere, favore che eternamente mi resterà al core..... Per lo venturo ordinario manderò le sinfoniette..... « Da Venetia il 15 febraio 1620 « Di V. S. Ill.ma
