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PERI,
Jacopo, 1561-1633
Le
musiche
sopra
l’Euridice
Bibliotheca
Musica
Bononiensis,
IV/2. Bologna, 2/1995. 4°, 58 pp. Line-cut of
the Florence, 1600 edition. Created for the marriage of Henry IV of
France and Maria de Medici (one of the most important political
marriages of the 17th c.), it premiered in a small hall of the Pitti
Palace. Composed with simple monodies with figured
bass accompaniment
and choruses for 3-5 voices, Peri's work is the second modern opera
(behind Dafne) and the first
Euridice (before Caccini's opera of the
same name). The rivalry of Peri and Caccini is well known, and the rush
to be the "first" is made more complicated by the fact that Caccini and
his performers had a integral role in the first performance of Peri's
work, with many of the roles filed by members of Caccin's troupe,
including his daugther Francesca. It is important to point out
that Peri's opera was not the main musical event of the wedding
celebrations, but was followed two days later by a lavish production of
Caccini's Il rapimeto di Cefalo, a spectacular intermezzi now lost,
performed by some 100 musicians to an audience of 3,800 people.
Wrappers. $44
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