Frederick James Crowest

Crowest's short biography is useful for giving a 19th century perspective of Verdi and he actually met the man. There is nothing here that won't be found in other bios but the author makes a robust defence of the early operas, admires the middle period works but thinks they may drop out of favour(!) eventually and groups Aida with Otello and Falstaff as Verdi"s greatest operas. The Requiem he likes but it is not the right sort of music for the Church, especially for the British. O, and that supposed Wagner influence? Not so much.… (altro)