Giulio Ricordi

(1840-1912)

Grandson of the founder of Italy’s renowned music publishing house, Giulio

Ricordi was musically the most gifted of his family. Under the pseudonym Jules Burgmein

(and occasionally Grubmeni) he composed piano pieces and songs as well as orchestral and stage works. He worked for the firm under his father for a short time in 1856, then permanently from 1863. From the mid-1870s he was Verdi’s main contact at Ricordi, and inspired him to compose Otello. Giulio ran the firm from 1888 and nurtured Puccini, to whom he became a respected father

figure.