GUGLIELMI. There are several Italian musicians of this name, the most celebrated of them being Pietro, born at Massa Carrara in May 1727. He received his first musical education from his father, and afterwards studied under Durante at the Conservatorio di San Loretto, Naples, His first operatic work was produced at Turin in 1755, and the success was such as falls to the lot of few primary efforts. Guglielmi’s reputation was thenceforth established, and soon his fame spread beyond the limits of his own country, so that in 1762 he was called to Dresden to conduct the celebrated opera there. He remained for some years in Germany, where his works met with much success, but the greatest triumphs were reserved for him in England. He went to London in 1772, and stayed there five years, returning to Naples in 1777. He still continued to produce operas at an astounding rate, but was unable to compete successfully with the younger masters of the day. In 1793 he became maestro di capella at St Peter’s Cathedral, and died at Rome, November 19, 1804. He was a very prolific composer, and occupies a respectable if not absolutely first-rate position among the earlier masters of Italian comic opera. There is indeed in most of his scores a vein of humour and natural gaiety not surpassed by Cimarosa himself. In serious opera he was less successful. But here also he betrays at least the qualities of a competent musician. Considering the enormous number of his works, his unequal workmanship and the frequent instances of mechanical and slip-shod writing in his music need not surprise us. The following are among the most celebrated of his operas :— I due gemelli, La serva inamorata, La pastorella ηobile, La bella peccatrice, Rinaldo, Artasesse, Didone, and Hneo e Lavinia. He also wrote ...