27. ITALIAN MUSIC. The death of Giuseppe Verdi undoubtedly marks the ebbing out of the most typical and most glorious epoch in the history of Italian music. From this point of view the date of 27 Jan. 1901, is full of historical importance. With it ends definitely the heroic age of Italian national music, of that art which, particularly in the works of G. Rossini, V. Bellini, G. Donizetti and of Verdi, irradiated the world. At the death of Verdi all understood that the legend ary age of Italian opera had come to a close forever, and that now it would behoove us to deal in realities. To the heroes, succeeded mere mortals; to the rule of genius, that of technique. What we lost in sublimity, we at tempted to gain in profundity; compensation was sought for lack of clearness in the design, by brilliancy of coloring; for the loss of melodious verse, by the intensity of psychologi cal meaning; and local color took the place of passional intensity.
Yet this new art preserved intact some precious characteristics of the Italian race, this art which, while struggling nobly in the midst of surroundings that became each day more refractory and utilitarian, still succeeded in making its influence felt at home and abroad, leaving always a genial impression, and Italian national pride has no reason to be ashamed of it. It is, in fact, an indication of our constant progress in musical culture, which to-day shows a tendency to reorganize itself on broad and healthy lines.
We shall now see how the way was pre pared for the actual musical movement, how and when it was outlined, assuming definite characteristics, and what were its successive vicissitudes up to the present time.
Giuseppe Verdi as long as he lived was at the head of Italian musical evolution. Alfredo Catalani, Amilcare Ponchielli and Arrigo Boito were old and authoritative pioneers.
Arrigo Boito, with the aristocratic and com plex temperament of a poet and a musician, writing for Ponchielli the fibretto of
most direct and decisive action was in the com position of the score and liberetto of that
With his vocal scores, Ponchielli, especially in his