Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 15.djvu/404

 VERDAGUER

350

VERDUN

Greek Bible, Vercellone wrute "Ulteriori studii sul N. T. greco dell' antichissimo Cod. Vaticano" (Rome, 1866) ; in 1867 he published a critical study, "La Storia dell' adultera nel Vangelo di s. Giovanni" (Rome), in which he defended the authenticity of the passage (John, vii, 53-viii, 11). He also edited nine pamphlets of Gerdil on the Hierarchy of the Church. In 1869 he pubUshed a "Discours sur I'histoire des langues semitiques de Renan", in which he refuted some of the assertions of the French critic.

A sketch of Vcrcellone'a life is in the edition of the Codex vati- canus, VI (Rome, 1881), pp. xiv-xv; Scrivener, Introduction to the criticism of the N. T., I (London, 1894), 112, 116-18; Hohtek, Nomeiiclator, V (Innsbruck, 1911), i, 1214; Sergio, Notizie intomo alia vita ed agli scritti del P. D. C, Vercellone (Rome, 1869).

Charles L. Souvat.

Verdaguer, Jacinto, poet, b. at Riudeperas, Province of Barcelona, Spain, 17 April, 184.5; d. at Vallvidrera, Barcelona, 10 June, 1902. While in training to receive Holy orders, he early showed his literary instincts by competing for the prizes offered in the Jochs Florals, or poetical toiu'nament, lield yearly for the purpose of stimulating composition in the vernacular of the eastern part of the Iberian peninsula. Religious faith, country, and love are the main themes promoted by the Jochs Florals, and on the first two of these Verdaguer wrote with signal success, winning his first prize in 1861. He was or- dained in 1870. In 1877 he published his most famous work, one of the most notable in the history of modern Catalan, the epic "La Atlantida," which quickly attracted attention and was translated into Spanish, French, ItaUan, English, and German. The "Oda a Barcelona" of 1883 was followed by the epic legend, "Canig6" (dealing with the times of the reconquest of Spain from the Moors and locating its scenes in the Pyrenees region). Then came the noted "Idilis y cants mistichs" (1879), the "Cansonsde Montserat" (1880), the "Caritat"(1885),the"Patria"(188S),the "Cants religiosos pel poble" (1882), the "Somni de Sant Joan" (1887), the "Jesus Infant" (1890-05), the "Sant Francesch" (1895), the "Flors del Calvari" (1896), the "Santa Eularia" (1898), etc.

Obres completes ordenades y dnotades (7 vols., Barcelona, 1905- 1908) ; La Atlantida ab la traduccid Castellana per Melcior de Patau (Barcelona, 1878); Sp. tr. Palic (Madrid, 1906); S.ivine, L'Atlantide, poeme traduit du Catalan de Mossen Jacinto Ver~ (/a£/uer (Paris, 1884): this contains the Catalan text with the French and an interesting essay on La renaissance de la poesie catalane.

J. D. M. FoED.

Verdi, Giuseppe, composer, b. at Le Ronoole, Parma, Italy, 10 October, 1813; d. at S. Agata, near Busseto, 27 January, 1901. From his earliest years he evinced an extraordinary musical aptitude, and at the age of ten became organist of the village church. From 1826 to 1829 he took lessons from Proves!, organist of Busseto cathedral, and in 1S31 went to Milan to study under Lavigna. On the death of Provesi (1833) Verdi returned to Brusset, where he remained for five years, during which he married Margherita Barezzi; in 1838, however, he settled in Milan. His first opera, "Oberto", was performed in 1839 and gave a foretaste of the young composer's abihties, but the production of "Nabuco" (9 March, 1842), followed by "Lombardi" (11 Feb., 1843), showed that a rising star had appeared. The success was accentuated by "Ernani" (9 Mar., 1844), and Verdi's fame as an operatic composer was assured. Several other o])eras followed in the years 1844 and 1846, and he declined ;m ofTer as conductor of Drury Lane Theatre, London, in succession to Costa, though his reception in England was not over cordial. His "Luisa Miller" (8 Dec, 1849) added to his triumphs, and with it ended his fame in one style of opera. Verdi entered on a new pha.se in 1850, and his "Rigo- letto" (produced :tt Venice on 11 March, 1851) astonished the musical world. Then followed "II Trovatore" (19 Jan., 1853) and "La Traviata"

GirsEP From a pliotugraph

(6 Mar., 1853), all three being still popular. "Un Ballo in Maschera" (17 Feb., 1859) completed his triumph in a new style of wTiting. "Don Carlos" (11 Mar., 1867) and "Aida" (produced at Cairo, 24 Dec, 1871) represent what has been aptly termed Verdi's third style. "Aida" is not only an advance on "Rigoletto", but is clearly a development of genius so strong that it may well be regarded as a new style.

Meantime Verdi visited England in 1855 and again in 1862, when he conducted h i s "Inne deUe Na- zioni" at Her Majesty's Thea- tre. "His la>I visit was in ls7."i. when he was :ii the zenith of ]i\s powers. It was rumoured that he had laid down his pen forever after the produc- tion of "Aida", but on 5 Feb., 1887, he astonished even his warmest admirers by a four-act opera, "(Jtello" (hbretto by Boito). On 5 Feb., 1893, his "Falstaff " was given at La Scala, and he was created Marchese of Busseto by the King of Italy. For an octogenarian this opera was a tour de force in musical annals. Its dramatic quahties place it on a level with Wagner's operas, and Verdi's han- dling of the comic element showed an undreamt-of power. Indeed it has been truly said that "Otello" and "Falstaff" rank as a fourth style of Verdi. His place in music is as an operatic composer of the first rank, and he considerably influenced the Italian School of the second half of the nineteenth century.

Verdi deserves to be reckoned in the category of church composers; his "Requiem" (wTitten for the anniversary of Manzoni's death) is a work of art, and continues to find much favour; it was first performed at Milan on 22 May, 1874. Among his rehgious com- positions are: "Pater Noster", for five voices; an "Ave Maria", for soprano solo and strings (both performed in 1880); a "Te Deum", for two four-part choirs, voices, and orchestra; a "Stabat Mater", four-part, and two motets in honour of the Blessed Virgin. These four appeared in 1898, and were per- formed in Paris on 7 April, 1899. Verdi's Catholic spirit was shown by his resigning his office as member of the Italian parliament for Busseto; and, subsequently, when, on being appointed a senator by the King of Italy (1875), he went to Rome to be duly admitted, but never assisted at a single sitting. Professor Dickenson in his " JVIusic in the History of the \A'estern Church ' WTites: "In Verdi also we have a truly filial devotion to the Catholic Church, united with a temper;imcnt easily excited to a white heat when submitted to his nuisical inspiration." By his will Verdi be(]ue;itlied an endowment fund for a home for aged musicians.

Potlai.N, Verdi (Paris. 1881); STRE.txriELD, Masters of Tialian Music (London, 1895); Mazzucato in Grove, Diet, of Music and Musicians (new ed., Ix>ndon, 1910), s. v.

W. H. GnATTAN-FLOOD.

Verdon, Michael. See Dunedin, Diocese of.

Verdun, Diochsk of (Vuiodixkxsis), comprises the Department of t he Mruse. Supprcsscil by t he Con- cordat of 1802, and sulwequently united to the Diocese of Nancy, Verdun was re-established by the Bull of 27