The instrumental genre ruined music," Stendhal wrote in his 1814 description of the Italian music scene. His opinion, widely shared and echoed over several decades, loomed large on the standard repertory and its objective evaluation. This volume aims at reaching a more balanced assessment. Major figures from that era are explored, who helped shape that repertory. Unknown aspects of their music and its circulation, both at home and abroad, are highlighted. New historical data are presented, and compositions are discussed that are either unknown or approached from an unusual perspective.0Il volume, con saggi di A. Peroni, C. Felici, G. Lavezzi, M. Dellaborra, G. Salvetti, E. Previdi, M. Vaccarini, D. Prefumo, indaga aspetti della produzione strumentale di Boccherini, Tartini, Rolla, Paganini, Bignami, e affronta tematiche come i modi della pratica musicale di quegli anni, il patrocinio musicale di Maria Luisa d'Etruria, le opinioni degli scrittori sulla musica.