Giulio Ricordi

Giulio Ricordi

Giulio Ricordi (December 19, 1840 - June 6, 1912) was an Italian editor and musician.

Biography

Ricordi was born in Milan, where he also died.

With the nickname Jules Burgmein, Ricordi contributed a very great deal to the prestige of the Casa Ricordi, publishing company of his family. This firm also produced several magazines (La gazzetta musicale, Musica e musicisti and Ars et labor), and various other once famous publications (La biblioteca del pianista, l'Opera Omnia di Frédéric Chopin, L'arte musicale in Italia, Le Sonate di Domenico Scarlatti).

Ricordi was also publisher of the later operas by Giuseppe Verdi and had the good sense to promote younger composers of merit. These included Amilcare Ponchielli, Alfredo Catalani, Umberto Giordano, and, above all, Giacomo Puccini. To the last-named, in particular, he became something of a father-figure, feared (and often needing to be censorious over Puccini's dilatory work habits) but deeply trusted.

Depictions in media

• The play After Aida — a 1985 play-with-music by Julian Mitchell — depicts Ricordi's struggle to get the retired Verdi to collaborate with a young librettist, Arrigo Boito, on a project, which resulted in Otello.

External links

• Free scores by Giulio Ricordi at the International Music Score Library Project