New-York tribune., 1901-01-26
GIUSEPPE VERDI DEAD.
THE NOTED MUSICAL COMPOSER EN-
PIRES IN MILAN
Rome. Jan. ga special dispatch to the
'Patria" from Milan announces that Verdi, the
composer is dead

october 10, lS13 at the village of Roncole
Busseto, in the and-duchy of Parma. His father
was an innkeeper and confectioner. a double call
hg which, in wretched little place like Roncole,
aardly enabled him to keep body and soul together
Nevertheless he managed to help in some way his
boys early taste for music, which he ntelli-
gent enough TO see and value. Giuseppe obtained
little instruction from humble violnplayer named
Bagasset, and at eleven years was apprenticed to
an organist of Busseto, with whom he remained
until he was eighteen, playing In the church at
Roncole, and earning after while much as $50
year. AS for his general education, that he got
as he could, teaching himself 10 read and write
and probably mastering great deal OF the art OF
music also by his ingenuity. He
without sympathetic assistance, however, in his
favorite study. The Busseto organist a good
master and discerning friend and Verdi found
patron in rich victuaer of Busseto named Ba-
ezzi who used TO supply the lads father with wine
and spirits for the tavern and shop Roncole
Barezz. was something of musical connoisseur
and even an amateur performer He took Young
Verdi into his home, nominally to assist in the
business, but really that he might carry his
musical studies more advantageously; and when
the boy had learned all that Busseto could teach
barezzi found means for him TO go to Milan.
few later nsS5) the generous victualler fur
ther demonstrated his faith in Verdis future by
giving him the hand of his daughter In marriage
At the time of this union Verdi was teaching at
Busseto and earning about $50 a year. When he
presented himself for admission the Conservatory
at Milan ne was examined in piano and compost
ton. and un"eremOniously rejected. The director
Basily has, of course, been denounced for failing
to discern the young mans capacity; but Conserva-
tory directors are not prophets it may we'll be
that the requirements of candidate trained In
somew hat haphazard fashion not up to the
standard of the great Mlanese institution. and the
natural gifts which inspired such confidence In
those who had watched Verdrs life would hardly
have been disclosed by a trial examination
Perhaps his rejection was not A misfortune He
made such rand progress under private tuition that
his master. Lavigna was soon able to astonish
Basiy with excellent fugue which Verdi had
written In 4 very short time upon theme which
had proved too much for twenty-eight Of the Con
servatory pupils. Not long afterward the rejected
student made little celebrity for himself in Milan
by successfully conducting without previous prep
sration, rehearsal OF Haydn's Creation in the
absence of the regular conductor of the Philhar-
monic Society.
He accomplished this task 80 well that the direc-
ton OF the concert was left 10 him: he taken
Up by influential people. and before long he re-
ceived his first order for opera. This was
''Oberto III San Bonifacio produced at La Scala in
November. 1899. when the composer was twenty
six II was -ompietely forgotten long ago. but It
had no inconsiderable success In its day Ricordi
bought the for 800 and Meref director Of
la Scala. rs well Of the Imperial Opera at
Vienna. gave the composer an order for three
operas 10 De completed in two years The first
fruit OF this contract was opera bouffe I'm
Giorno di Regno." Written for A fixed date IT was
zone under the most distressing conditions for
[ NerGIs wife and two children died within few
/ another. " he
was I required 10 be droll The opera was com
Utterly disheartened by this first disaster. Verdi
,S ,SSrswore the stage and begged MereIi to cancel
{he hn, foniract The manager was not discouraged;
a, ana ne ne would not insist upon the bargain. One
prepared for another composer nd asked his opin-
lon OF IT, Verdi was unwilling % look IT. but at
II home and decide whether it was avaiiable or not
back III felt the as aG g&a sa 3Se Gd 'P
when he returned 20 Nlerell with his verdict the
G2fa1 ing MIl., The i9Tettq IS admirable wen thsn
words wrote VERDI ne took the bq mbretto forSs
II IL INTO my coat pocket. pushed me out OF his room,
TeS.a Tss lines Ey SAN: sang in head i9eTed
had had written the whole score"
the composers first permanent success for al
o1onsh the opera has not kept the stage portions
Verdi displayed an individuality Of style which re-
mained his almost to the close of his career. As
a, melodst it Vas evident that he had only two
nrinS d, ni'aiS ais, Rossni who was far more richly
& and was luxuriating on his aurels. Donizetti had
enthusiastic any longer over a composer whose
po,n 80 OF EXPRESSION Il knew so we'll Verdi had
Phrased easily remembered and suited 10 a sono-
excellent effect II lombard" "NIacbetto' En-
mani, and Il Masnader." followed. with vary
nf nF beDr on by me s ThSe & Err
The rest of verdi's career was train Of more or
less brilliant and rapid successes His best period
the production OF "Rigoetto, III Trovatore: and
La Travtats," besides the less important Les
Of Paris. and TN Ballo In Maschera' the per-
formance of which delayed for political reu-
Venice In 1851. established its composer as beyond
an dispute the favorite musician of Europe. "Rgo-
Verdfs works up to that time. the famous quar-
tet in which the four voices are treated with such
and such perfect blending I'm one harmonic effect OF
distinct. and, what Is more Of easily distinguish
mobile Is one of those catching songs readily
carried away by the audience. hummed In the
family piano next morning. 1t is easy 10 remenl-
ber that Verdi, fcresAeing popularity held II
the last rehearsal. fearing that 1t would get out
and become town-property before the performances
ness. achieved instantaneous popularity. surpas-
sing that OF most other operas of this generation
was by nearly all the artists OF the
world. The fact j. that the broad effects which
their fun in this work: his meodious inventiveness
was never richer and his art in arranging forcible.
II was displaced from the standard list Of attrac-
tions az the great opera houses that was not be
ences had heard 1t so often In cities where good
italian opera companies appear seldom. such the
smaller cities OF the United States, 1t is still in
"Ta Traviata." produced at Venice in 1855, was
responsible for the disaster At Turin little later
I the opera made great hit, II was equally success
of the world Don carlos prodnSed AZ the Grand
Opera House of Paris in 1857 SHOWED great falling
The merits Of Aida have gained it wide popu.
larity one of the best of modern Italian operas.
cumstances The Khedive. Ismail Pacha at the
summit of his extravaganza. invited Verdi write
a new opera house at Cairo. The scenario. or out
line OF the drama; was written by Marette Bey the
pared from this text by Ghisianzoni under Verdf's
close supervision The composer received $4,000 for