Scott Joplin (1868–1917)
Joplin’s opera Treemonishahad no full-scale performance in his lifetime but was
revived in 1972 by Robert Shaw in Atlanta, staged worldwide, and won a Pulitzer
Prize. It has had no scholarly literature except for the dissertation noted below.
- Hebert, Rubye Nell. “A Study of the Composition and Performance of Scott
Joplin’s Opera Treemonisha.” D.M.A. diss., Ohio State U., 1976. 57p. - Ping-Robbins, Nancy R. Scott Joplin: A Guide to Research. Garland Com-
poser Resource Manuals, 47. New York: Garland, 1998. 419p. ISBN 0-8240-
8399-7. ML134 .J75 P56.
A varied guide to material about Joplin and ragtime, including 902 annotated
entries for writings about him. For Treemonishathere are 77 items, mostly
reviews and brief notices.
Reinhard Keiser (1674–1739)
- Zelm, Klaus. Die Opern Reinhard Keisers. Studien zur Chronologie, Über-
lieferung und Stilentwicklung. Musikwissenschaftliche Schriften, 8. Munich:
Katzbichler, 1975. 246p. ISBN 3-87397-107-0. ML410 .K27 Z51.
Inventory of sources and library locations; detailed analyses of aria, form, and
scenic structure. Good plates and musical examples. Bibliography of about
150 entries, name index. - Koch, Klaus-Peter. “Zu Reinhard Keisers Spätschaffen.” Händel-Jahrbuch 36
(1990): 91–106.
Keiser is reported to have written 118 operas, of which only 19 survive with
music. Koch considers aria stye, structure, use of chorus, and output of differ-
ent periods. He believes that the composer deserves more scholarly attention;
the extant literature about him is traced in 58 footnotes. - Arnn, John D. “Text, Music, and Drama in Three Operas by Reinhard Keiser.”
Ph.D. diss., Rutgers U., 1987. 592p. - Brenner, Rosamond. “The Operas of Reinhard Keiser in Their Relationship
to the Affektenlehre.” Ph.D. diss., Brandeis U., 1968. 3v. Brenner also has an
article, “Emotional Expression in Keiser’s Operas,” MR33 (1972): 222–232. - Melkus, Eduard. “Zur Aufführung von Keisers Croesus in Halle.” Händel-
Jahrbuch36 (1990): 107–116.
Croesus(1711) was revised for Hamburg in 1731. Melkus—who himself
directed a revival in Halle—compares the two versions, with technical com-
ments on structure, key, and aria style. - Lamkin, Michael Deane. “La forza del virtù oder Die Macht der Tugendof
Reinhard Keiser.” Ph.D. diss., U. of Iowa, 1979. 685p.
See also Harris (#963) and Roberts (#947, #978).
210 Opera