- Schultz, William Eben. Gay’s “Beggar’s Opera”: Its Content, History, and
Influence. New Haven, Conn.: Yale U.P., 1923. xxiii, 407p. Reprint, New
York: Russell & Russell, 1967. PR3473 .B6 S5.
A valuable account of the opera’s sources, reception in Britain and the U.S.,
and further performance history. Realism and morality issues are discussed, as
is the influence of the opera. Primary materials are described. Footnotes, bibli-
ography of about 100 items, index. - Cook, Donald F. “The Life and Works of Johann Christoph Pepusch (1667–
1752), with Special Reference to His Dramatic Works and Cantatas.” Ph.D.
diss., King’s College, London, 1983. - Williams, J. G. “The Life, Work and Influence of J. C. Pepusch.” Ph.D. diss.,
U. of York, 1976.
See also discussions of the opera in Hogarth (#428) and Aldrich (#425).
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710–1736)
Editions
- Pergolesi, Giovanni Battista. Complete Works = Opere complete.Ed. Barry S.
Brook, Francesco Degrada, and Helmut Hucke. Stuyvesant, N.Y.: Pendragon,
1986–. M3 .P475.
Two of the operas have appeared: Adriano in Siriaand Livietta e Tracollo. For
information on this and other Pergolesi editions, see Paymer (#1389), 19ff.
Thematic Catalogues and Worklists
- Paymer, Marvin E. Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, 1710–1736: A Thematic Cata-
logue of the “Opera omnia” with an Appendix Listing Omitted Composi-
tions.Thematic Catalogues, 1. New York: Pendragon, 1977. 99p. ISBN
0-918728-01-0. ML134 .P613 A35.
An important contribution, which disposes of most of the works that had been
attributed to Pergolesi: only 30 of the 148 compositions in the 1939–1943 col-
lected edition are authentic. The new edition (#1386) will remedy these errors.
With musical incipits and an index locator to help find them. - Hucke, Helmut. “Pergolesi: Probleme eines Werkverzeichnisses.” AM52-2
(1980): 195–225.
A useful study of sources involved in preparing an authentic worklist, with ref-
erences to earlier literature in 239 footnotes. Hucke is one of the editors of the
new complete edition.
Bibliographies and Guides to Resources
- Paymer, Marvin E., and Hermine W. Williams. Giovanni Battista Pergolesi: A
Guide to Research.Garland Composer Resource Manuals, 26. New York:
Garland, 1989. xvi, 190p. ISBN 0-8240-4595-5. ML134 .P613 P6.
266 Opera