OLD COMPOSERS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 49, 28 February 1927, Page 9

OLD COMPOSERS

FEESH WOEKS FOUND

FORTY-THREE OPERAS

SENSATIONAL DISCOVERY

(United Press Association.—Copyright.)

(Sydney Sun Cable.)

(Eeceived 28th February, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, 27th February.

The "Daily Mail's" Turin correspondent reports that ninety-seven hitherto unknown musical works, including forty-three operas by Gluck, Eameau, Pergolesi, Duni, Vivaldi, Stradella, and other illustrious composers, has been made at a convent near Casale. Professor Gentili, of the University, of Turin, is at present examining and collating the works. He says that the discovery is the most sensational in the history of music. This is probably the greatest discovery known in the history of music, but its importance cannot be gaugeduntil the works have been analysed. Music has made a tremendous advance since the days of these composers, and musically the value of the works may be practically nil. Gluck (1714-1787) is the most known of the composers niritioned, and his opera "Orfeo" is occasionally performed to-day, although his grandest music is contained in "Alceste." He wrote many operas, but most of them are deficient in musical technique, although they contain, passages of beautiful melody. He had undisputable dramatic powers, and this gained for him more than his music a prominent place among opera writers. There are at least twenty of his operas already known. Gluek had a great influence on Mozart. The greatest work of Pergolesi (1710----1736) is "Stabat Mater." According to the "Britannica Encyclopedia," his posthumous reputation "has been exaggerated beyond all reason." Most of his operas are - comedies. Eameau (1683-1764) was a composer of invention and originality, and his best operas «ontain beauties which will defy the caprices of fashion and will command the respect of true artists for all time. He was never greatly skilled in writing for the voice, and thus it is most probable that his newly discovered operas will be of little value from a performing point of view. He was the first French musician of his day, and was the link between Lulli and Gluck. Stradella (1645-1682) was principally important as a composer of church music, although he wrote jeveral operas and many chamber cantatas. Vivaiai was born in the latter half of the seventeenth century. Twentyeight of his operas are known, and they are vitiated by an excessive showing after display. J. S. Bach used Vivaldi's works as a basis of study. His real distinction lies in his mastery of form and his application of this mastery in the development of the concerto. Duni (1709-1775) wrote twenty-two known operas. They are mostly, earlier examples of the opera comique.