Under the title < Lost music of teenage Verdi found on skip > this curious
piece by Jonathan Leake appeared in the (London) Sunday Times today.
A COLLECTION of Verdi's scores, recovered from a skip where they were
accidentally thrown by church authorities, have been found to be
original and unheard works.
The news comes as opera houses around the world, including Covent Garden
in London, prepare to mark the 100th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi's
death on January 27. The rescued music, apparently written by Verdi as
a teenager, could throw light on the unique style behind romantic
masterpieces such as Aida, La Traviata and Rigoletto.
Although some scholars have acclaimed the find, others suggest the
works are not all Verdi's, or that they are "immature". The scores are
certain to cause a row at an international conference on the composer
due to start next week in Parma.
Verdi was born in 1813 near Busseto in Italy, and his talent emerged at
a young age.
Even those who know little about opera recognise Verdi's music: the
theme from La Forza del Destino was used in advertisements for Stella
Artois, and other works have featured on film soundtracks ranging from
The Godfather to Babe: Pig in the City, and Pretty Woman. Interest in
Verdi surged after the soprano Lynne Dawson sang Libera Me from his
Requiem at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.
The "lost" music, mainly small-scale instrumental works, was found
by Father Amos Aimi, archivist at Fidenza cathedral, at a church in
Busseto. "Those scores had his unmistakable hooked writing," he said.
Aimi kept the papers for more than 20 years, fearing they could be lost
again, until he met Fausto Pedretti, a conductor who was organising a
Verdi festival. Pedretti said: "Besides Verdi's works, there were
others by Ferdinando Provesi, Verdi's first teacher." In later years the
composer destroyed many of his early works and after he died his family
burnt other scores.
Some experts remain sceptical. Philip Gossett, a Verdi historian at
Chicago University, said: "Earliest Verdi is similar to all the music
written by earnest, talented young composers during the 1820s and
1830s."
However, musicians who have worked on the scores - soon to be released
on CD - say they rank with Verdi's best compositions. Rino Vernizzi, a
bassoonist, said: "If it isn't Verdi, then there was an unknown genius
in Busseto."
("....they rank with Verdi's best....? Er, umm!)
John G. Deacon
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