8. A te

Magri supposes, for reasons stated in his extensive critical musical analysis, that A te must be a very early piece. That assertion is also cautiously supported by Kaye. In corroboration of that thesis, it can be said that Puccini’s signature initial(s) written above the music can also be found similarly on the title page of the autograph manuscript of the Mottetto of 1878 (see 2), but never later. Furthermore, Puccini did not use paper of the size and type used for A te for works dating from his later Milan period of study.
If Magri and Kaye are correct, A te would be Puccini’s only known song composed before his student years in Milan. However, the character and style of the piece are indeed quite different from Puccini’s other Luccan vocal music.
The author of the text is unknown.