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Verdi: The Man In His Letters
English (translation)
- GenresMusic
469 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1942
About the author
Giuseppe Verdi
1,592 books34 followersFullest artistic form of operas of Giuseppe Verdi, Italian composer, included
La Traviata
in 1853,
Aïda
in 1871, and
Otello
in 1887; people credit him with raising the genre.
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi, mainly a Romantic, most influenced the 19th century. Houses frequently perform his works throughout the world, and some themes transcended the boundaries of the genre and long took root in popular culture:
* "La donna è mobile" from Rigoletto
* "Va, pensiero" (The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) from Nabucco , and
* "Libiamo ne' lieti calici" (The Drinking Song).
Masterworks of Giuseppe Verdi used a generally diatonic rather than a chromatic musical idiom, and people sometimes criticized tendency toward melodrama, which dominates the standard repertoire a century and a half.
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi, mainly a Romantic, most influenced the 19th century. Houses frequently perform his works throughout the world, and some themes transcended the boundaries of the genre and long took root in popular culture:
* "La donna è mobile" from Rigoletto
* "Va, pensiero" (The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) from Nabucco , and
* "Libiamo ne' lieti calici" (The Drinking Song).
Masterworks of Giuseppe Verdi used a generally diatonic rather than a chromatic musical idiom, and people sometimes criticized tendency toward melodrama, which dominates the standard repertoire a century and a half.
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Displaying 1 of 2 reviews
July 10, 2018
A fairly large selection of Verdi's letters, it gives one an idea primarily of how Verdi saw the business of opera; and he does go into the business of it fairly deeply, commenting on the shift from a popular art form that could support itself, to something that required state support to keep going by the time he died.
It was also interesting to see what Verdi had to say about various political events - not only the failed revolutions of 1848, the unification of Italy, the Franco-Prussian War, and more. And finally, his comments on German music vs. Italian music --- he does mention Wagner a few times, but the point is mainly the structural & instrumental differences, powered by cultural tradition and language.
But through it all, you get the feeling of his forceful character, uncompromising in his artistic vision, and commenting on the effects he was trying to achieve.
I think this sort of treatment, using the man's own words, really illuminates the character far more than traditional biography.
It was also interesting to see what Verdi had to say about various political events - not only the failed revolutions of 1848, the unification of Italy, the Franco-Prussian War, and more. And finally, his comments on German music vs. Italian music --- he does mention Wagner a few times, but the point is mainly the structural & instrumental differences, powered by cultural tradition and language.
But through it all, you get the feeling of his forceful character, uncompromising in his artistic vision, and commenting on the effects he was trying to achieve.
I think this sort of treatment, using the man's own words, really illuminates the character far more than traditional biography.
Displaying 1 of 2 reviews