Verdi : The Story of the Little Boy who Loved the Hand Organ

"Verdi: The Story of the Little Boy who Loved the Hand Organ" by Thomas Tapper is an educational children's book likely written in the early 20th century. The book is part of a series titled "The Child's Own Book of Great Musicians" and focuses on introducing young readers to the life of the renowned Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. Its primary aim is to engage children with music history, particularly Verdi's journey from a curious child to a celebrated composer. Throughout the narrative, the book chronicles Verdi's early fascination with music, starting with his childhood in the village of Roncole, Italy, where he developed a love for hand organs. As he grows, the story highlights significant milestones in his musical education, from receiving a spinet at the age of seven to becoming the organist at his local church by the age of ten. Alongside his musical development, the book emphasizes the importance of supportive friendships, particularly with figures like Barezzi and Provesi, who encouraged Verdi to pursue his talents. The narrative culminates with Verdi's successful career, detailing his renowned operas and his legacy, including his final years spent supporting fellow musicians in need. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Thomas Tapper was a musician, composer, lecturer, writer, teacher, and editor, who was born in Canton, Massachusetts, and studied music at the American College of Musicians. He wrote many books on music, mostly for children and young adults. His most famous being Lives of Great Composers picture book series. He also wrote the First Year Series for musical instruction, which included First Year Musical Theory, First Year Counterpoint, First Year Harmony, Second Year harmony, First Year Analysis, and First Year Melody Writing. He was the editor of "The Musician," and promoted rural music and community music. Tapper also promoted rote learning in the rote-note controversy of the late 19th Century music education. His students included Isabel Stewart North and Carrie Burpee Shaw.