La jolie fille de Perth
- Westrup, Jack. “Bizet’s La jolie fille de Perth.” In Essays(#70), 157–170.
Discusses variants in the several published versions of the opera, which was
first performed in 1867. Bizet’s intentions have not been followed by these
publications: he has been “maltreated by posterity.” No other aspect of the
opera is taken up.
Le pêcheurs de perles
ASO124 (1989).
Boris Blacher (1903–1975)
- Stuckenschmidt, Hans Heinz. Boris Blacher.Berlin: Bote & Bock, 1985. 64p.
ISBN 3-7931-1391-4. ML410 .B66 S78.
Brief biography, an autobiographical sketch, worklist, and genesis of some of
the operas.
Michel Blavet (1700–1768)
La jaloux corrigé is in FO,v.51.
- La Laurencie, Lionel. “Deux imitateurs français des bouffons: Blavet et Dau-
vergne.” Année musicale2 (1912): 5–125.
A thorough discussion of Blavet’s La jaloux corrigé(1752): genesis, program
notes, musical examples, and reception (necessarily brief, as there were only
six performances). Includes biographical information and extensive footnotes.
On Dauvergne, the opera discussed is Les troqueurs(1753); it receives similar
attention. The work was true opéra-comique,giving the coup fatalto the
comédie-vaudeville.
Arthur Bliss (1891–1975)
590.Craggs, Stewart. Arthur Bliss: A Bio-Bibliography.Bio-Bibliographies in Music,- New York: Greenwood, 1988. 183p. ISBN 0-313-25739-6. ML134 .B62 C7.
Not much has been written on the operas. Craggs gives a dozen or so citations
to brief treatments of Olympiansand Tobias.
Marc Blitzstein (1905–1964)
- Gordon, Eric A. Mark the Music: The Life and Work of Marc Blitzstein.New
York: St. Martin’s, 1989. xviii, 605p. ISBN 0-312-02607-2. ML410 .B6 G7.
A well-documented biography, with worklist by genre that offers valuable
information about the compositions. Genesis, description, and reception for
The Cradle Will Rock(1937) and other works of social significance. Expan-
sive index. - Oja, Carol. “Marc Blitzstein’s The Cradle Will Rockand Mass-Song Style of
the 1930s.” MQ73 (1989): 445–475.
Considers the opera to be a direct descendant in spirit and sentiments of the
workers’ songs (mass songs) of the Depression era. Composers were trying
Marc Blitzstein 129