UK History, England:
One-person-band - Signor Rivolta, his career
tradecard © The Fitzwilliam Museum
Signor Rivolta, an Italian, worked as a one-person-band for at least 16 years from January 1809
to November 1825.
He called himself a Pandean band. The tradecard refers to the patronage of
the Prince Regent.
Although primarily based in London he went on extensive
tours around England,
Scotland and Ireland. At one
point (1818)
he got into financial difficulties,
but afterwards carried
on
with his act. At first he is advertised as
playing
on 4 or 5 instruments at the same time.
By the end
he
was playing
on 8 instruments together.
tradecard 1803
Quotes below are from newspaper 'snippets' and advertisements:
| 1809 Signor Rivolta arrives in England and advertises for work the celebrated Signor Rivolta three four Instruments. ’ Doors open at Half past Five, and begin at.Half-past Six ... | Published: Monday 09 January 1809 Newspaper: Morning Advertiser County: London, England |
| the celebrated Signor Rivolta on three or four Instruments. Doors open at Half-past Five, and begin Half-past Six | Published: Monday 16 January 1809 Newspaper: Morning Advertiser County: London, England |
| ... and harmonious Instruments, suitable to Private ROOM, if required, or otherwise as may be wanted. Orders forwarded to Signor Rivolta, No. 10, Dean street, Holborn; No. 9, Princes street, Bedford row ; and No. 5, Peter street, Bloomsbury | Published: Tuesday 06 June 1809 Newspaper: Oracle and the Daily Advertiser County: London, England |
| Signor Rivolta, No. 10 Dean-street, Holborn; No ;9, Princes-street, Bedford-row ;
'and No. 5 Peter-street Bloomsbury, ... | Published: Wednesday 14 June 1809 Newspaper: Morning Chronicle County: London, England |
|
instruments suitable to private rooms, if required, or otherwise, as may be wanted. Orders forwarded to Signor Rivolta, No. 10, Dean-street, Holborn or at Mr. Lewis, No. 6, Peter-street, Bloomsbury, will be immediately attended ...
| Published: Tuesday 20 June 1809 Newspaper: Morning Post County: London, England |
| 1812 Signor Rivolta’s entertainment in theatres and concert halls is advertised in the newspaper Signor Rivolta report of playing Five Instruments to conclude with an incidental Fancy Dance... | Published: Saturday 12 September 1812 Newspaper: Morning Chronicle County: London, England |
| Signor Rivolta, the celebrated Pandean, will perform in the early part of the evening on five and six Instruments at-the same time |
Published: Tuesday 08 December 1812 Newspaper: Morning Chronicle County: London, England |
at the SansPareil Theatre, Strand, Signor Rivolta, the celebrated Pandean, will perform five and six Instruments at the same time | Published: Monday 14 December 1812 Newspaper: Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser County: London, England |
| Signor Rivolta, the celebrated Pandean player, will perform an Italian and a German piece of Music on five and six instruments at the same ... | Published: Monday 04 January 1813 Newspaper: Morning Chronicle County: London, England |
 at the Surrey Theatre 1813 |
|
| At the end of the First and Second I acts Signor RIVOLTA, (from the Theatres Royal, London,) Will play variety of ITALIAN, GERMAN, and ENGLISH TUNES, Upon Six, Seven, and Eight instruments at the same time ... | Published: Sunday 16 May 1813 Newspaper: Windsor and Eton Express County: Berkshire, England |
| 1813 a grand concert was held in a theatre in Newcastle at which an Italian gentleman, Signor Rivolta, "exhibited his wonderful performance" on the pandean pipes, tabor, Spanish guitar, triangle, harmonica, Chinese crescent, cymbals and bass drum. | Morning Post - Saturday 16 July 1814 |
 1814 advertisement | |
1814 tour to Scotland | 1814 Inverness Journal and Northern Advertiser - Friday 11 February 1814 |
1814 back in London Signor RIVOLTA, deeply …gratitude for the numerous … return his most unfeigned thanks ... | Published: Saturday 16 July 1814 Newspaper: Morning Post County: London, England |
| Signor Rivolta,leaves London and goes on tour to the south-west Her Royal Highness invited select party to the King's Lodge hear Signor Rivolta, the celebrated Italian minstrel, perform an extraordinary concert on eight instruments at one time… | Published: Monday 17 October 1814 Newspaper: Salisbury and Winchester Journal County: Wiltshire, England |
| SIGNOR RIVOLTA, Who will perform on 6, 7, and 8 Instruments at one time | Published: Thursday 16 March 1815 Newspaper: Exeter Flying Post County: Devon, England |
| .. positively the last Night. THE EXTRAORDINARV Vocal 4 Instrumental CONCERT.,BY THE CELEBRATED MINSTREL SIGNOR RIVOLTA, will be repeated on FRIDAY Evening, the 31st March; WHEN he will perform on six, SEVERN, and EIGHT INSTRUMENTS ... | Published: Thursday 30 March 1815 Newspaper: Exeter Flying Post County: Devon, England |
| Minorlan Theatre, Taunton. the extraordinary VOCAL and INSTUMENTAL CONCERT, By the celebrated Italian Minstrel, SIGNOR RIVOLTA, Who will perform 6, 7, anti 8 Instruments at One Time, in his Lombardian Uniform. | Published: Thursday 13 April 1815 Newspaper: Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser County: Somerset, England |
| Signor Rivolta’s performance of an ingenious nature. is calculated at once to please the eyes of the audience well as the ears ... | Published: Thursday 13 April 1815 Newspaper: Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser County: Somerset, England |
| 1816 Signor Rivolta tours north of London the celebrated Italian Minstrel SIGNOR RIVOLTA, will perform on Six, Seven, and Eight instruments at One time, | Published: Saturday 23 March 1816 Newspaper: Ipswich Journal County: Suffolk, England |
| the 23rd and 25th of March, 1816, an extraordinary Vocal and Instrumental CONCERT, by the celebrated Italian Minstrel, SIGNOR RIVOLTA, who will perform on Six, Seven, and Eight Instruments at one time | Published: Saturday 23 March 1816 Newspaper: Suffolk Chronicle County: Suffolk, England |
| AN extraordinary Vocal and Instrumental CONCERT, bv the celebrated Italian Minstrel Signor Rivolta, who will perform 6, 7, and 8 Instruments at one time. . , . | Published: Saturday 21 September 1816 Newspaper: Oxford University and City Herald County: Oxfordshire, England |
| 1816 Signor Rivolta back in London Vauxhall Gardens, London:  |
Published: Thursday 30 May 1816 Newspaper: Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser County: London, England |
| The Military, and Pandean Bands will perform between the Acts; and after the Concert Signor Rivolta, the Italian Minstrel, will also exhibit his wonderful Performances on Eight Instruments Doors open at Seven ... | Published: Friday 31 May 1816 Newspaper: Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser County: London, England |
| Signor Rivolta, the Italian Minstrel, will also exhibit his wonderful perfomances on eight instruments at one time.... | Published: Saturday 01 June 1816 Newspaper: Morning Chronicle County: London, England |
| 1817 Signor Rivolta is back in the south-west Signor Rivolta displayed his skill.in playing on many instruments at the same time in a most wonderful manner. | Published: Thursday 03 April 1817 Newspaper: Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser County: Somerset, England |
| Signor RIVOLTA’s Prelude the Overture with a Selection of Italian, Waltzes, and upon 6, 7, and 8 instruments at a time... | Published: Thursday 24 April 1817 Newspaper: Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette County: Somerset, England |
| 1818 in the Midlands Signor Rivolta's Concert | Published: Monday 16 February 1818 Newspaper: Aris's Birmingham Gazette County: Warwickshire, England |
| ... that unrivalled artist, SIGNOR ,RIVOLTA, are to be repeated at the minor theatre this evening.
His unique display of ingenuity, talent, and taste, has surpassed the most sanguine expectations. It is
the intention of Signor Rivolta to visit Lichfield, Tamworth ... | Published: Monday 23 February 1818 Newspaper: Aris's Birmingham Gazette County: Warwickshire, England |
1818 |
Published: Tuesday 10 November 1818 Newspaper: Chester Courant County: Cheshire, England |
1818 Maidstone Michaelmas Fair |
Morning Advertiser - Thursday 22 October 1818 |
| December 1818 to London for a court case "...a conveyance of the property of Signor Rivolta was made to Day, who then undertook to settle with the creditors. But no settlement having been effected, the Signor became ..". | Published: Friday 18 December 1818 Newspaper: New Times (London) County: London, England |
1818   | Anti-Gallican Monitor - Sunday 20 December 1818 |
| 1818 tour to the north-east Signor Rivolta.—We have had the pleasure of listening to performance Of this ingenious gentleman. His musical talents are certainly ... | Published: Tuesday 05 January 1819 Newspaper: Chester Courant County: Cheshire, England |
| 1819 Signor Rivolta has married and Madame joins the act VOCAL and INSTRUMENTAL Will be performed in tbe Assembly-room. Stamford, on Monday Evening, Nov. 15th, 1819, By SIGNOR and MADAME RIVOLTA, Who will perform on NINE INSTRUMENTS AT ONCE! Without any assistance.... | Published: Friday 12 November 1819 Newspaper: Stamford Mercury County: Lincolnshire, England |
| The performances of Signor and Madame Rivolta, in our Assembly-Room, on Thursday last, were honoured with a large and genteel audience, and gave much satisfaction ... | Published: Saturday 02 September 1820 Newspaper: Lancaster Gazette County: Lancashire, England |
| 1821 tour of Scotland SIGNOR RIVOLTA's Wonderful Performances. | Published: Wednesday 21 November 1821 Newspaper: Aberdeen Press and Journal County: Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
| SIGNOR RIVOLTA, (The celebrated Italian and English Singer will Perform on EIGHT INSTRUMENTS AT ONE TIME ... | Published: Thursday 20 December 1821 Newspaper: Perthshire Courier County: Perthshire, Scotland |
| highly amused and delighted with Signor Rivolta’s performance two nights since. By his account, it must very similar to the exhibition …, which attracted much ... | Published: Thursday 27 December 1821 Newspaper: Perthshire Courier County: Perthshire, Scotland |
1823 Season in Ireland |
Published: Monday 17 March 1823 Newspaper: Saunders's News-Letter County: Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
| THE LAST TWO NIGHTS SIGNOR RIVOLTA | Published: Friday 11 April 1823 Newspaper: Saunders's News-Letter County: Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
| SIGNOR RIVOLTA WILL continue his unrivalled Performance in the Sunspareil Theatre, every Evening, at Eight o’Clock,
until SATURDAY next the 19th instant, when his Benefit will take place, being the last time he can appear in this City, | Published: Tuesday 15 April 1823 Newspaper: Saunders's News-Letter County: Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
| LAST WEEK OF SIGNOR RIVOLTA'S Unrivalled Performance. SANSPAREIL THEATRE, ROYAL ARCADE.
THIS Evening, | Published: Tuesday 08 April 1823 Newspaper: Saunders's News-Letter County: Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
| 1825 the last newspaper notification was north of London OUR CALENDAR. : "MINSTREL SIGNOR RIVOLTA, will perform his extraordinary vocal and instrumental Concert on six, seven and eight Instruments at one Time..." | Published: Wednesday 11 November 1825 Newspaper: Northampton Chronicle and Echo County: Northamptonshire, England |
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