[2] Sir George Grove, in the “Dictionary of Music and Musicians,” P. 611, says that the French text is by Molière! This is a self-evident error.
[3] See very interesting article signed C. Saint-Saëns in the Écho de Paris for July 23, 1911.
[4] See Écho de Paris, op. cit.
[5] Cases are numerous of changes made by composers even after their work has been produced. The Fountain Scene in Lucia was entirely remodelled by Donizetti, some time after its original production at Milan, the first setting being replaced by the “Regnava nel silenzio” now used, written for Persiani when the opera was first given at the San Carlo, Naples.
[6] One of these reforms was that the first year’s study is to be devoted entirely to tone-formation; no attention being paid to the employment of the tones in melody. Nor are the professors of singing at the Conservatoire now selected—as was formerly the case—exclusively from among ex-opera-singers.