Macbeth
ASO40 (1982), ENOG 41 (1990).
- Rosen, David, and Andrew Porter. Verdi’s “Macbeth”: A Sourcebook.New
York: Norton, 1985. 527p. ISBN 0-393-95073-5. ML410 .V4 V35.
“In part a collection of papers delivered at the Fifth Institute of Verdi Studies,
1977” (Danville, Ky.). Includes a piano-vocal score from 1847 and essays by
many leading Verdians (Chusid, Degrada, Weaver, Budden, Conati, Porter,
etc.). Bibliography and index of names, topics, and works. Among the impor-
tant inclusions are a performance history, a table of revisions, and illustrations
of the original costumes. - Goldin, Daniela. “Il Macbethverdiano: Genesi e linguaggio di un libretto.”
Analecta musicologica 19 (1979): 336–372.
A fine review of previous writings (130 notes) makes this genesis account par-
ticularly useful. The source for the libretto was Carlo Rusconi’s translation
from Shakespeare. - Degrada, Francesco. “Lettura di Macbethdi Verdi.” Studi musicali6 (1977):
207–267.
A well-documented genesis, with texts of letters, libretto alterations by Piave,
and references to earlier literature. - Osthoff, Wolfgang. “Die beiden Fassungen von Verdis Macbeth.” AfM 29
(1972): 17–44.
Genesis, with program notes and musical examples; comparison of the origi-
nal version with the revision for Paris in 1865. - Antokoletz, Elliott. “Verdi’s Dramatic Use of Harmony and Tonality in Mac-
beth.” In Theory Only4 (November–December 1978): 17–28.
Notes the importance of the pitch cell c/d-flat in the foreground or background
as a symbol of murder and guilt. - Chusid, Martin. “Evil, Guilt and the Supernatural in Verdi’s Macbeth: Toward
an Understanding of the Tonal Structure and Key Symbolism.” InSourcebook
(#1892), 249–260.
The keys of E and B-flat are found to represent two levels of supernatural,
respectively: a lesser and a more powerful realm. Other keys are associated
with Macbeth himself, Scotland, and murder/guilt. - Sabbeth, Daniel. “On the Tonal Organization of Macbeth II.” In Sourcebook
(#1892), 261–269.
Identifies some of the harmonic devices that create special effects: mixture of
major and minor, lowered sixth of the scale, and associations of keys with
characters and ideas.
I masnadieri
- Marvin, Roberta Montemorra. “Verdi’s I masnadieri: Its Genesis and Early
Reception.” Ph.D. diss., Brandeis U., 1992. 2v.
354 Opera