The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-04
MUSICIAN REWRITES
WORK LOST IN FIRE
SignOr Ricardo Lucchesi I'M
dertakes to Reconstruct Score
of His Grand Opera
Mrs. Florence Richmond En-
gagged TO Provide LibrettO for
Madame POmpadOur"
By WALTER ANTHONY

T viii be many years before the full
effects Of the san Francisco fire are
oblitersted from the memory of
man. Every once in while the
world hears of loss therein sustained
which in no wise may be forgotten
Souvenirs, worthless in themselves,
photographs and daguerrotypes with
out insurance value. but priceless 10
the possessors, are searched fog va.uly
now. Little curls tied with pr,ttv
ribbons. the shoes that the baby t4--
has gone once wore. trirlSets Of form
Years which mothers aud Lovers once
treasured are but ashes which ou
windy days we may breathe. but which
we DO not see. Manuscripts and half
written scores OF great things over
which pride swelled once upon a time
are also gone. and that reminds me of
a lately learned Of loss which might
lave made the writer Of the destroyed
pa ges famous.
/ refer TO the manuscript which
Signor Ricardo Lucchesi toiled over
Cor many weary years and in which
NE had put the energy of much inspir-
alton and the work of great talent It
went the way of many infiammable
things, on that April day. which money
could not buy nor now replace.
Lucchesi is now in Los Angeles and
has undertaken the somewhat heroic
task Of reconstructing his destroyed
operator that is what the manuscript
was-a grand opera which many who
had seen il and were as critical as the
composer himself had declared was ft
for any grand opera house from New
York to Milan or Berlin. Madame
Pompadour' is the title OF the work.
which when done over again viii be
in three acts instead OF in four as for
merly.
In the working out of the book
Lucchesi is enjoying the assistance and
advice Of Mrs. Florence Richmond. who
is well known in San Francisco as a
clever writer. Several Of her poems
have been employed by Lucchesi for
verbal foundation for his lyric and har-
monte compositions. It was this cir
cumstance. probably, that suggested
10 Lucchesi the wisdom Of securing
Mrs. Richmond as his llbrettists
It IS expected by Lucchesi's friends
and admirers on the Pacific coast that
his fame as A composer whose works
are by no means strange to programs
in Europe viii be Of assistance to him
an ErALAAE d ltdsL a respectful near
ing Of his biggest work-the opera
now in hand
As the author of The Redemption
Of the Soul" q symphonic work for
grand orchestra: his -.Nesse Brevfs. -
which has been frequently sung in the
leading Catholic churches of the coun-
try. not TO mention numerous songs.
which, conceived in q classic spirit of
absolute music, have found ready pub
fishers and willing hearers, Lucchesi is
an important figure in the country's
music. and his literary work in behalf
of his ideals in composition have been
effective as vigorous preachments for
the best there is in music and for
higher ideals and loftier standards. In
this connection a work recently com
pieted by Lucchesi has for its title
Modern Italy and in IL he deals with
ort life Of the home Of Verdi, Dante,
Michael Angelo, Donizettf. Peri and the
hundreds Of others who have led in
the vanguard Of great art.