Giuseppe Verdi

A Guide to Research

Gregory W. Harwood

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN:
  9781000526332
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Music

First Published in 1998. Giuseppe Verdi already stood out as a distinctive and unusually significant composer by the time his career was barely underway. Today, Verdi scholars build their work on a vast foundation of earlier research. For researchers who have not spent years with the Verdi literature or who may just be starting to explore some aspect of this giant's fife and works, this foundation may seem daunting indeed. It is primarily for these researchers that this guide is intended. Its purpose is to index and describe some of the most significant studies about the composer, presenting enough material in annotations that researchers may survey the many myriad directions Verdi research has gone, ascertain the relevance of individual items to their individual interests, and pursue significant patterns and threads in which they are interested.

CHAPTER 1 Bibliographies, Catalogues, Descriptions of Special Archives & Collections

DOI: 10.4324/9781000526332-1

GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHIES & CATALOGUES OF VERDI’S MUSIC

The following two reference works provide crucial information about autograph manuscripts and early editions of Verdi’s music and together provide much of the information that would be found in a definitive thematic catalogue.

1. Chusid, Martin. A Catalog of Verdi’s Operas. Music Indexes and Bibliographies, 5. Hackensack, N.J.: Joseph Boonin, 1974. xi, 201 p. ISBN 0-913574-05-8. ML 134 .V47 C5.

This important reference source provides for each of Verdi’s operas: 1) a transcription of the title page and cast as presented in the libretto for the first performance (and in some cases, other significant early performances); 2) location and description of the autograph manuscript, including Verdi’s own titles and text incipits for the individual numbers and the presence of non-definitive revisions, if any; and 3) miscellaneous information (as available for each opera) including: location and description of extant sketches, manuscript copies, selected printed editions, staging manuals, and information about playbills for first or early performances. The volume contains a number of facsimile reproductions of pages from autograph manuscripts and librettos. Appendices list the operas by date and place of first performance and show alternate titles of operas, with information about librettos and performances. The volume also includes a substantial bibliography and an index of personal names. In the absence of a definitive thematic catalogue, this reference work is the only comprehensive source for crucial information relating to Verdi’s autograph manuscripts, such as the composer’s own nomenclature for individual numbers in his operas, which publishers frequently altered. See item 2 for more detailed information about printed editions of Verdi’s music.

2. Hopkinson, Cecil. A Bibliography of the Works of Giuseppe Verdi, 1813-1901. Vol. 1: Vocal and Instrumental Works. New York: Broude Bros., 1973. ix, 106 p. Vol 2: Operatic Works. New York: Broude Bros., 1978. ix, 106; xxxii, 191 p. ISBN 0-8450-7004-5. ML 134 .V47 H6.

The author refers to this set as a “bibliographical thematic catalogue.” While it offers detailed bibliographic information about editions of Verdi’s music, it lacks much material normally found in a true thematic catalogue. Information about manuscript material is most often omitted (for more information about manuscript documents, see item 1 above). Musical incipits are provided for the little-known songs and choral works, but are lacking for all of the operas as well as the larger non-operatic works (such as the Quattro pezzi sacri, Requiem, String Quartet, etc.). Most of the entries include a short historical introduction; some feature facsimile reproductions of title pages. Appendices in each volume contain much interesting information. These include: a list of manuscripts, a list of dedicatees, brief essays on Verdi’s publishers (especially useful for the little-known publishers who issued some of the songs and choral works), information about Lucca’s pictorial title pages, details about collected editions of songs, and tables listing librettists and alternative titles. While these volumes provide much valuable information, there are a significant number of errors and omissions noted, in part, by Maria Adelaide Bacherini Bartoli (item 3) and by J. Rigbie Turner in his description of Verdiana at the Pierpont Morgan Library (item 26).

3. Bartoli, Maria Adelaide Bacherini. “Aggiunte integrazioni e rettifiche alla Bibliography of the Works of Giuseppe Verdi di Cecil Hopkinson: Edizioni verdiane nella Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze.” Studi verdiani 4 (1986-87): 110-35.

This list of errata and additions updates Hopkinson’s reference volume (item 2). The author includes editions in the Biblioteca Nazionale that are not described in Hopkinson’s work as well as a separate list of items that are described in Hopkinson without mention of a copy in the Biblioteca Nazionale.

* Lawton, David, and David Rosen. “Verdi’s Non-Definitive Revisions: The Early Operas.” See item 451.

GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF SECONDARY LITERATURE ABOUT VERDI

Ongoing exhaustive bibliographies of current publications about Verdi prepared by Marcello Conati can be found in each issue of Studi verdiani, as listed in the following table.

Vol.	Date	Years Covered by Bibliography
1	1982	1977-79
2	1983	1980-82
3	1985	1983-84
4	1986-87	1985-86
5	1988-89	1987-88
6	1990	1988-89
7	1991	1989-91
8	1992	1991-92
9	1993	1993
10	1994-95	1993-95

These bibliographies are especially valuable for their inclusion of materials that are not easily found in standard indexes or in American libraries. These include the typically detailed and substantial essays published in program booklets for European productions of Verdi’s operas as well as European theses and dissertations.

4. Alcari, Cesare. Parma nella musica. Parma: M. Fresching, 1931.259 p.

A large bibliography of over 500 entries (pp. 218-53) appended to the biographical artide on Verdi updates Vanbianchi’s list (item 16) through 1930. Contains useful references to many little-known articles from newspapers and periodicals.

5. Conati, Marcello. “Bibliografia verdiana: Aspetti, problemi, criteri per la sistemazione della letteratura verdiana.” Atti 3 (item 226), 546-63.

Surveys the history of research about Verdi and assesses major bibliographic studies through the early 1970s. The author suggests that one of the biggest remaining challenges in Verdi bibliography is to facilitate access of nineteenth-century material, particularly periodical literature. A central portion of this essay considers the significance of the Copialettere (item 28) and the stimulus its publication provided for later Verdi studies.

6. —. “Fonti verdiane: I giornali dell’ottocento.” Nuove prospective nella ricerca verdiana (item 231), 130-37.

Describes, in general terms, types of information found in nineteenth-century periodical literature that is useful for Verdi research.

7. Kämper, Dietrich. “Das deutsche Verdi-Schrifttum: Hauptlinien der Interpretation.” In Colloquium “Verdi-Wagner” Rom 1969: Bericht (item 227), 185-99.

Surveys significant writings about Verdi published in German, with a particularly strong focus on Verdi’s contemporaries, such as Eduard Hanslick, Ferruccio Busoni, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Hugo Riemann.

8. Lawton, David. “Per una bibliografia ragionata verdiana.” Atti 1 (item 224), 437-42.

A short, selective listing of 35 items that explore Verdi’s music from an analytical point of view.

9. Lottici, Stefano. Bio-bibliografia di Giuseppe Verdi. Parma: Tip. S. Orsatti & C., 1913. ix, 68 p. ML 410 .V4 L7.

10. Michałowski, Kornel. Verdi in Polonia: Saggio bibliografico. Biblioteca di “Quadrivium”: Note d’Archivio: Bibliografia, biografia e storia, 5. Bologna: Antiquae Musicae Italicae Studiosi, 1980.69 p.

Indexes items about Verdi published in Poland or dealing with the reception of his music in that country. The bibliography is arranged by topic, including sections devoted to individual compositions. This list is particularly valuable for its listing of items published in Polish periodicals.

* Oberdorkr, Aldo. Giuseppe Verdi: Autobiografia dalle lettere. 3rd, rev. ed., with annotations and additions by Marcello Conati. See item 36 (contains an extensive bibliography of published letters).

* Parker, Roger. “Verdi, Giuseppe (Fortunino Francesco).” In New Grove Dictionary of Opera. See item 177.

11. Pavarani, Marcello. “Per una bibliografia e documentazione verdiana.” Atti 1 (item 224), 446-51.

Assesses the significance of four early bibliographies (Torri, Maglione, Vanbianchi, Alcari) and describes the efforts of the Istituto di Studi Verdiani to assemble a comprehensive listing of all material relating to Verdi.

12. Porter, Andrew. “A Select Bibliography.” The Verdi Companion (item 5), 239-55.

A useful prose survey of the most important Verdi bibliographies through the mid-1980s, followed by a listing of materials dealing with individual works and specific topics.

13. Surian, Elvidio. “Lo stato attuale degli studi verdiani: Appunti e bibliografia ragionata (1960-1975).” Rivista italiana di musicologia 12 (1977): 305-29.

An overview of the state of Verdi research in the mid-1970s serves as a preface to a topically organized bibliographic essay describing material that appeared between 1960 and 1975.

14. Tintori, Giampiero. “Bibliografia verdiana in Russia.” Atti 1 (item 224), 458-63.

Reviews the history of Verdi studies in Russia and presents a bibliography of 45 items published in Russian between 1875 and 1964. The entries are organized chronologically and include some items originally published elsewhere and translated into Russian.

15. Torri, Luigi. “Saggio di bibliografia verdiana.” Rivista musicale italiana 8 (1901): 379-407.

An important early bibliography issued in commemoration of the composer’s death. The entries are arranged alphabetically by author within broad categories: life (nearly 250 items); a work list with dates and names of performers for premieres and a few other significant early performances (40 items); critical assessments of the compositions (99 items); and a list of 25 nineteenth-century periodicals containing significant reviews or discussions of Verdi’s works. A few of the citations contain light annotations. This ...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half-Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Series Editor’s Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Chapter 1. Bibliographies, Catalogues, Descriptions of Special Archives & Collections
• Chapter 2. Correspondence & Other Documents
• Chapter 3. Iconographies
• Chapter 4. Biographies; General Studies of Life & Works
• Chapter 5. Studies of People Associated With Verdi
• Chapter 6. Conference & Congress Reports
• Chapter 7. General Studies
• Chapter 8. Verdi’s Milieu
• Chapter 9. Performance History; Reception; Locative Studies
• Chapter 10. Verdi’s Influence & Historical Position
• Chapter 11. General Studies About Verdi’s Music
• Chapter 12. Studies About Individual Operas
• Chapter 13. Never Realized Operatic Plans
• Chapter 14. Non-Operatic Works
• Chapter 15. Discographies & Videographics
• Chapter 16. Libretto Collections
• Chapter 17. Editions & Editing Practices
• Catalogue of Verdi’s Compositions
• Contents of The Works of Giuseppe Verdi/Le Opere di Giuseppe Verdi
• Locations of Premiere Performances of Verdi’s Operas
• Verdi’s Librettists & Other Collaborators
• Literary Sources for Verdi’s Operas
• Some Alternate Titles Associated With Verdi’s Operas
• Chronology of Verdi’s Life
• A Short Biographical Dictionary of People Associated With Verdi
• Index of Authors, Editors & Translators
• Subject Indexes