Mascagni’s passions, besides the music of course, were many: playing cards , Tuscan Cigars Billiards, bycicle and collecting things such as pictures, watches, pipes and pens, ties and waistcoats, musical instruments. Playing cards was a real craze, even for his relatives, friends and assistants, forced to play with him especially at night.
He never played for money, but he lived it as a rite, even his daughter Emy was scolded bitterly. She herself wrote that she could withstand the word “idiot”, but no longer tolerated him at the word “beast”.
The cigar’s passion followed him all over the world: before every travel, he was used to check the prepared stocks. He had a daily ration of 36 half cigars.
He liked playing billiards too and, as soon as he could, especially in Leghorn , he wanted to play a tambourine match.
Collection things
“What’s going to do dad with all this stuff?” his daughter Emy wrote in her book “Let the youngest one kneel” dated 1936. She tells about her father ‘s craze collecting things…
“His favourite pens are at least 10 or 12 and he keep them on the table: if somebody is going to move them, he will be in trouble with him…. And what to say about his matches and cigars, suitcases and bags to carry the most preferred cigars.
And then he liked to have a collection of coins, checks not more in circulation, medals, ancient parchments; chopsticks, including the one given by the Queen Victoria: embedded with turquoise and ruby.
Of all the collections, the most personal is of pipes and cigarettes mouthpieces. You can see enormous mouthpieces snakes, dragons or sirens shaped.
He is a collector born. His most original collections are those of ties and sticks, including Gioacchino Rossini's stick which was given to him by Costantino Nigra. The most precious is that of paintings.
The most varied is that of pottery; the richest that of watches. The most interesting is that of musical instruments, among them the spinetta of Mozart, which on the cover engraves the signature of Gaspare Spontini.
The most funny - continues Emy - is the collection of strange letters both for content and for addresses.
There is one for example, with this overwritten: To Pietro Mascagni WORLD There is another one, coming from S. Francisco of California, with this original address: “To the gentle Italian postmen to forward this letter to Professor Pietro Mascagni, Illustrious composer of Cavalleria Rusticana. ITALY”
Italian postmen have been very kind, because the letter came to their destination.
Biography - His Family - His Friends - His Women - His Tours - On the podium - Portrait of an artist