- Carter, Tim. “Jacopo Peri (1561–1633): His Life and Works.” Ph.D. diss.,
U. of Birmingham, 1980. - Carter, Tim. “Jacopo Peri.” M&L61 (1980): 121–135.
Much information is packed into this article, based on the author’s disserta-
tion. Peri’s life and his changing fortunes are described, with the genesis of
Euridice(which was not a success). With 66 footnotes to the earlier literature. - Carter, Tim. “Jacopo Peri’s Euridice(1600): A Contextual Study.” MR 43
(1982): 83–103.
The opera is “far more carefully composed than is commonly assumed” and
has many links with the 16th century. Peri drew on many sources for the
recitative: improvisatory practices, madrigal techniques, a smattering of Greek
theory, and ideas of the Camerata. - Sonneck, Oscar G. T. “Dafne,the First Opera: A Chronological Study.” SIMG
15 (1913–1914): 102–110.
Caccini is not mentioned in Rinuccini’s dedicatory preface, and Caccini does
not allude to Dafnein his writings. Nor do other writers connect Caccini with
Dafne. Sonneck thinks that Peri composed the music for the 1600 and 1604
performances. He doubts that any Caccini music for Dafnewas performed
anywhere before 1602. The only musical setting preserved is by Jacopo Corsi. - Sternfeld, Frederick W. “The First Printed Opera Libretto.” M&L59 (1978):
121–138.
It is Dafne(1598), by Peri and Rinuccini. Sternfeld describes the manuscript
and three printed libretti; one, newly discovered in the New York Public
Library, appears to be the earliest (for the 1598 performance).
See also material on the Camerata and early Florentine opera, at #2439ff. Peri’s fore-
word to the printed Euridiceis in Strunk.
Emile Pessard (1843–1917)
See Sansone (#1109).
Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869–1949)
- Toller, Owen. Pfitzner’s “Palestrina”: The “Musical Legend” and Its Back-
ground.[London ?]: Toccata Press, 1997. ISBN 0-907689-248. ML410 .P48
T65.
Genesis, scene-by-scene program notes with technical observations. Footnotes,
bibliography of about 50 items, name and topic index. - Lee, M. Owen. “Pfitzner’s Palestrina: A Musical Legend.” OQ4-1/2 (Spring
1986): 54–60.
The composer called his opera a “musical legend.” It “deals freely with histor-
ical facts” but is “fundamentally true.” Program note, some reception—the
opera “has not won the public.”
Hans Erich Pfitzner 269