Translation - Considerazioni e proposte per l'unificazione dei vari sistemi di scherma in Italia by Giordano Rossi

As promised in the previous short biographical post about Giordano Rossi, today I bring you a translation of his only other publication aside from his well-known fencing treatise. The title of this work is Considerazioni e proposte per l'unificazione dei vari sistemi di scherma in Italia ("Considerations and proposals for the unification of the various fencing systems in Italy") and was originally published as a booklet in 1890, however it was also republished across several issues of the magazine Scherma Italiana in 1891, from which I obtained the text for my translation (all scans of the magazine may be found here).

*** Translation ***

Much of this text comes across as a reasoned stream of thought about Rossi's opinions on how fencing should be taught, however there are a few very interesting insights into the benefits of the Radaellian molinelli and Rossi's pedagogical method for turning the wide practice molinelli into faster, "restricted" molinelli:

The molinelli with a wide rotation are very useful because, in addition to the aforementioned benefits, through them one gains the actions that are performed in the bout. For example: if we from guard of 2nd do a parry of 3rd and riposte to the opponent's abdomen, we are performing a traversone with the exercise molinello. So too if we, from guard of 2nd, parry 1st and riposte, we have thus performed a molinello with wide rotation.
The molinello that is used to touch the opponent is certainly not the one performed at the beginning of instruction; when the master sees that the molinello with wide rotation can be performed easily, they must, with graduated lessons, force the student to quickly move their blade by means of a sforzo, and a few blows in tempo to the arm should be used to make them increase the speed in the final part of the molinello such that, partly through the sforzo and partly through the blows in tempo to the arm, the student will be forced to restrict their molinello in order to avoid the opportunity for a blow to the arm during the molinello.

In addition to the technical aspects, Rossi also spends a decent amount of time talking about the role of the instructor in shaping the fencer's instincts and morale:

There is no doubt that the one who is mentally stronger, and yet more confident in the outcome, will be the one who, unconcerned with the consequences of the clash, will be able to keep their cold blood unperturbed in every moment during the action.
Now, if the one who succeeded in making their opponent parry has perfected the mechanical aspect, at equal speeds that person is sure to touch.
Otherwise their advantages will pass to the opponent, because in order to have parried they would be in an advantageous position, and following a clash of parries and ripostes, given equal strength, victory will come to the one with greater intellect. Like what occurs in this bout, I would be able to cite a hundred other combinations in which the fencer's morale and intellect are in accordance with the mechanical aspect studied in the instinctive effects of man.

This, I feel, is an excellent illustration of Italian fencing, with all its fiery yet calculated fervour.

Who is Giordano Rossi?

In making a list of the great champions produced by Radaelli, it would be almost unthinkable to omit the name Giordano Rossi. Although he did not have the international influence that other Radaellians such as Ferdinando Masiello and Luigi Barbasetti had, he was nevertheless highly respected throughout Italy not just for his fencing, but also for his contributions to the art such as through teaching and publications.

Regarding Rossi's fantastic 1885 fencing treatise (link in the sidebar), Gelli had this to say in his Bibliografia General della Scherma:

Rossi’s work is an illustration of the Radaelli system. Rossi has attempted to modify the grip of the sword in order to better have the blade in hand; a modification which a technical Commission appointed by the Ministry of War thought appropriate to not accept. Aside from this, Rossi is a faithful interpreter of the Radaellian theories he supports and widens, and in various exhibitions and fencing tournaments he has always achieved excellent results in the application of his own system.

Below is a picture from Rossi's treatise of this modified foil grip. It appears to have been rather popular in Italy, as it was still being listed in fencing catalogues into the 20th century.

Aside from his 1885 fencing treatise, Rossi also published a short booklet entitled Considerazioni e proposte per l’unificazione dei varî sistemi di scherma in Italia, a translation of which I shall be releasing in the next post. About the man himself, I will again refer to us Gelli's short biography:

Born in Bassanello, Padua, in 1851, he had his first fencing lessons from Lieutenant Montefredini, from the training battalion, who first placed him on guard in 1872. He then passed on to Milan with Radaelli, who was very fond of him. There he was a master and assistant in Radaelli’s teaching.
The latter having died, Rossi left the army and was appointed director and professor of the Milanese Fencing and Gymnastics Society, known as the Società del Giardino, one of the most important in Italy, where he is to this day.

A very strong and correct fencer, all over he has made the goodness and efficacy of the Radaelli system shine above the others, which are oftentimes supported with bad arts.