- Williamson, John. The Music of Hans Pfitzner. New York: Oxford U.P., 1992.
xiv, 382p. ISBN 0-19-816160-3. ML410 .P32 W5.
Life and works, with letters. Chapter 5 on Palestrina(p.126–205) has genesis,
synopsis, and musical analysis (motifs, dissonance treatment, key associa-
tions). Worklist, notes, bibliography of some 200 items, expansive index of
names and titles.
1409.Symposium Hans Pfitzner, Berlin 1981. Ed. Wolfgang Osthoff. Tutzing:
Schneider, 1984. 243p. ISBN 3-7952-0434-8. ML410 .P48 S98.
Two of the essays are about the opera: Benrhard Adamy, “Das Palestrina—
Textbuch als Dichtung,” and Stefan Kunze, “Zeitschichten in Pfitzners Palest-
rina”(a technical analysis).
See also Franklin (#412).
François André Danican Philidor (1726–1795)
In FO: Tom Jones,v.53; Blaise le savetier,v.54; Le sorcier,v.54; and Ernelinde,v.56.
- Carroll, C. M. “François André Philidor: His Life and Dramatic Art.” Ph.D.
diss., Florida State U., 1960. 2v.
Niccolò Piccinni (1728–1800)
Atysis in FO,v.65.
- Cametti, Alberto. “Saggio cronologico delle opere teatrali (1754–1794) di
Nicolò Piccinni.” RMI8 (1901): 75–100.
A useful review of all source material on Piccinni, with locations of manu-
scripts and modern editions; 139 bibliographic entries in date order. - Rushton, Julian. “Theory and Practice of Piccinnisme.” PRMA98 (1971–
1972): 31–46.
Both Piccinni and Gluck attempted to depart from the old French style but to
keep freedom of structure with “Italianate” music. Piccinni’s French operas
are as dramatic as Gluck’s. He preferred regular meter, while Gluck used var-
ied tempi to show conflicts in aria situations. Piccinni was something of a
“Gluckiste.” “Piccinisme” was “a trend, an atmosphere”—not a school. It
lacked a composer of substance. - Liggett, Margaret M. “A Biography of Niccolò Piccinni and a Critical Study of
His La Didoneand Didon.” Ph.D. diss., Washington U. of St. Louis, 1977.
437p. - Holmes, William C. “Pamela Transformed.” MQ38 (1952): 581–594.
Samuel Richardson’s novel Pamela(1740) was translated into Italian in 1744
and made into a play by Goldoni as Pamela nubile(1750). In 1756 Goldoni
turned the play into a libretto as La buona figliola,and it was set to music by
Egidio Duni in 1757. That effort was not notable, but when Piccinni took the
same text in 1760 he achieved fantastic success. La Cecchina (La buona figli-
ola)was “the most popular opera buffaof the 18th century.” In 1767 it was
270 Opera