Spontaneous Overflows and Revivifying Rays : Romanticism and the Discourse of Improvisation

"Angela Esterhammer introduces us to the art of the Italian improvvisatori, who created spontaneous verses on topics chosen by their audiences. English Romantics such as Shelley and Byron witnessed some of these performances and were greatly impressed. The ability of the improvvisatori touched on the very essence of poetic creation; is it simply, as the improvvisatori would seem to demonstrate, "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" or does it have to be "recollected in tranquility?" Dr. Esterhammer examines the ramifications of these two questions through the words of the English Romantic poets who had witnessed the art of the improvvisatori, and in doing so presents some fascinating material and deep insights into the process of creating verses." - Gernot R. Wieland, Professor