The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-01
A VISIT TO VERDI
Great Composer Chats Abou
Modern Italian Music.
HIS HOME AND HIS WORK
Those Efforts He Loved Best Brourh;
Him Neither Fame Nor Fortune
His Opinion Of Wagner.


gated villas among rose bushes and orange
trees, at last became visible. Then, after
passing through long tunnel, our journey
was at an end and we soon stood before
the depot on the marble paved square with
Its colossal statute of Columbus.
Not far from there, in the palace of the
Dorais. a gloomy, colossal building o.
granite, Giuseppe Verdi has his headauart-
tiers, to visit whom was my principal reason
for coming to Genoa. The way to his
apartments leads over the courtyard with
magnificent Mooresque architecture OF
arcades. columns, galleries, balconies,
fountains and groups of tropical plants,
From his window the old maestro can
overlook the beautiful city and watch the
vessels entering the harbor On one side
he hears the noise of trains, continually
coming and going; on the other he has q
view Of the majestic bay.
When / entered | saw the maestro stand.
ing near an old piano, on which the gilded
name of the firm had faded.
| asked him: "Am I disturbing you2
Were you playing2"
mo, l seldom play am no good
pianist. A young pianist comes to ma
once or twice the week and plays novel.
Then he seated himself in an armchair
in the center of a large Persian rug, deep
and rich il tone. A little table covered
with manuscript scores and writing
materials stood by his side. The furniture,
curtains and portieres were all of dusky
hue and heavy material, which tended
to give peculiar solemnity to the apart
ments. A richly carved writing desk and
6aI hra fc+Jn Of
tawns carrying woman in one arm and a
bunch of lights in the other, must attract
the attention Of every visitor.
Just now We are going through the
early Italian music-not very much in it
it was always either the servant of the
church or the mistress of princely favor
the melodies glitter with ornaments, but
are devoid of emotional power"
l was exceedingly glad that he himself
made this beginning. as l had come with
the intention of asking him number of
questions about Italian music. On my
mentioning in an off-hand manner that
he was really the only great composer of
his time in Italy, he smiled and answered
modestly.
sob, no; they are numerous. Bazzini is
undoubtedly the best Of them. His Fran
cesca di Rimini" is one of the best things
done in later years. Then there are Mar
tucci PonchielH and Sgambati, the pupil
of List"
"And Boito," added.
Every talentedp' he answered, "but
Boito is too literary; this is one of the
dangers that threaten modern music"
'This dates from Wagner" inquired.
81 don't know. believe all composers
have striven more or less for it, but none
OF them possessed the double gift of being
poet and composer at the same time"
ner?"
influence. The sooner they acknowledge
it the better for them. But despise slav-
ish limitations while my 'Otello can be
proud of its Teutonic influence"
But fear your 'Otello' will never be as
popular as your Aida and 'Trovatore,'"
remarked.
"Hardly-but as / could not improve
upon the old Verdi, ventured to some
new field of labor. But is il not strange
that some of my favOrites are almost en-
tirely forgotten, for instance, 'Atilla,
Macbeth King Lear while others 10
which | gave but little pains helped me to
fame and riches"
During the whole conversation he sat
quietly in his elegant dark gray suit and
black silk jacket, making, contrary to the
average Italian, but very few gestures. He
spoke in low voice, in abrupt sentences
but with intense emphasis as if much de
pended upon my understanding every
word he said. Now and then his eyes
emitted penetrating glance. and, twith
his beautiful high forehead, were the most
interesting features of his face.
He is man of medium size, and digni-
fed but amiable in his manners. The inn
mense strength and energy concealed be-
hind this polished, reserved exterior can
only be appreciated when one recalls the
patriotic enthusiasm that some of his
arias aroused at their first hearing.
What was your first SUGGEST" asked
interrupting the momentary silence.
Il consider 'Ernani' my hrst great sue
cess. In my former works | was still too
much influenced by Rossini."
What is your estimate of that COM
poser?" l asked.
Grandeur Of outlines-exquisite feeling
for true colors-airy lightness-sensuous
force-in short all the characteristic in
fiuence of the modern Italian school. But
/ think L am an improvement on Rossini,"
he added most seriously.
A little later on he described his own
music, which is faithful compa Mon of
our generation and follows US all around
the world, in the following manner:
II am, after all, a thorough Italian. my
music is less dramatic but martial and am
ity Of Astorga's Requiem" nor do know
the laughing, teasing sounds of Purgolese
or DonlZetti, but II is always passionate,
melodious and interesting. Ny music is
always real music"
Then returning to Wagner's music, he
resumed:
"Wagner's music dramas cannot be the
right thing, for it is impossible TO expect
every composer to be equally good in the
combination of words as of sounds.
Poetry in music il, for instance, expressed
in the following manner, when my OtellO,
dying, presses his lips once more against
the cold lips OF DesdemOna, the orchestra
plays softly the melody of the love duet in
Act I-you know that duet with the
accompaniment of violins and harps. In
my opinion much more could be accom-
plished if there was a universal language
like Vo!apuk in use for opera, or, still bet
ter, if the human voice would simply be
handled as other instruments of the
orchestra"
Would YOU do me the favor and reveal
10 me something Of your method of COM
pOsingY"
1T would be difficult to say how I com
pose. To decide it would be a severe task
for the modern writers, those psycholo-
gists, but | fear they could not do it,
Very often when / hear some hackneyed
music on the street il suggests To me a
new musical thought. The beautiful tone
OF a voice, an indefinite noise, a euphonie
sentence in a poem, but still oftener il
comes without any reason that could be
traced"
And do you take note Of these sugges-
tions?'
Yes; l jot them down immed lately
wherever I am. If | have no paper often
use my cuffs instead. But they are hero
glvphs 70 anyone else but N yself."