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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The list of authentic and spurious works is worth the price, but the papers raise all kinds of interesting topics,
By
This review is from: Pergolesi Studies: Studi Pergolesiani (Hardcover)
This book was first issued in 1986 by La Nuova Editrice in Florence to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the death of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, a great genius whose body of 28 to 32 genuine works has to compete with nearly 300 spurious works. This book has tremendous value simply for the list of the works attached to his name and placing them in categories that help us understand their level of authenticity (or how inauthentic they are). The rule of thumb is, when Pergolesi's name is attached to a work, check if it is really his or is the work of others. When I realize how much the man produced in six active years of composing before his death at 26 years of age, I am stunned. However, the world wanted more and since it was willing to accept more from the dead composer, others supplied them.
While a few of the papers included are published for the first time with this book, most were given at a symposium held in Jesi, Italy in November 1983. The papers cover a wide variety of interesting topics. While the keynote address is given in both Italian and English, the others are provided in the language of their authors. The papers in Italian are by Romeo De Maio (Religion and Faith in Napes at the Time of Pergolesi), Franco C. Greco (Theatrical Theory and Practice in napes in the First Half of the 18th Century), Roberto De Simone (Pergolesi in the Context of Neopolitan Music), Piero Wess (Further consideration of the origin of the comic opera: the language), and Franco Piperno (Pergolesi's Buffo Singer: notes on the dissemination of `La Serva Padrona'). I don't have enough Italian to really read these papers. The one paper in German is from Helmut Huck and is titled `Pergolesi: a natural musical talent or an intellectual composer? His Psalm settings.' My German is weak, but it appears to be an examination of the three Psalms the author regards as genuine. Of course he concludes that he was both a great natural talent and a supremely intellectual composer. The English papers are by Barry S. Brook (Pergolesi: research, publication, and performance. A perspective on their present status - November 1983), Marvin Paymer (The Pergolesi autographs: chronology, style, and notation and a second paper titled Pergolesi authenticity: an interim report), John A. Rice (Pergolesi's Ricimero reconsidered), Dale Monson (The last word: the cadence in recitative semplice of Italian opera seria and a second paper titled Semplice o secco: continuo declamation in early 18th-century Italian recitative), and Hubert Beckwith (Text and harmony in Pergolesi's recitatives for stage and chamber). To the general public and even the casual musician, many of these topics may seem obscure or dry, but that are anything but that. We learn about the practice of adapting works, libretti, and changing the work around. Hence the notion that Ricimero is a lost opera is found by John Rice to have many parallels with Pergolesi's Il prigionier. Monson deals with the complicated performance issues of how recitative should be accompanied in the 18th century when performing Italian, French, and German works. More than that, the character of opera seria, opera buffa, and sacred music adds interesting twists to these notions of how to declaim the accompaniment (the notation alone doesn't provide the final word). Even the way that cadences should be performed is up in the air. We are also updated on what is known about the authentic and spurious works and what sources are available. I found all of this fascinating and food for continued thought as I perform and think about music from this period, not only the music of Pergolesi. More than this, I also think it also raises important issues about practice, the written score, and artistic expression in any period. Very much worthwhile. Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
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