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