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Boccherini (bôk-ké-ré'-né), Luigi. 1743-1805.
Famous Italian composer and violoncellist. Born at Lucca. He showed great genius for music at a very early age and his first teacher was his father, who was himself a good musician. Very soon he was placed under the Abbé Vannucci and made such rapid progress that, in 1757, he was sent to Rome. Here he soon equaled his teachers and he heard much good music, notably Palestrina's, which influenced him greatly. After finishing his studies, he re-turned to Lucca, where he formed a strong friendship for the violinist Manfredi and joined him in a concert tour through Italy and southern France, to Paris, where they met a brilliant reception and were wonder-fully successful. In the latter part of 1768 Boccherini and Manfredi, on the advice of the Spanish Ambassador, went to Madrid. Accounts differ as to their reception, but they were at least successful in obtaining court positions, Manfredi becoming first violinist in the Chapel of Don Luis, brother of the King, and Boccherini, his chamber-composer. The death of Manfredi, in 1780, and of Don Luis, in 1785, left Boccherini entirely alone, and his worldy wisdom being very
small in comparison with his ability as a composer, his affairs became involved and his reputation began to decline. In 1878 he dedicated some music to Friedrich Wilhelm II. of Prussia and received from him the title of chamber-composer with a comfortable salary, but this stopped at the death of Friedrich, in 1797, and at the same time Boccherini's pension from the Spanish government was withdrawn; after this his affairs went from bad to worse and with the exception of a short time when Lucien Bonaparte was Ambassador to Spain and aided him, he lived in extreme poverty and died in want at Madrid in 1805.
Boccherini's ability as a composer is unquestionable and his productiveness was amazing. The entire number of his instrumental work is said to have been four hundred and sixty-seven, of which only seventy-four remained unpublished. His work had great originality and his music is full of beautiful and unexpected harmony. His style was simple and natural and his melodies excelled in freshness and grace. Although his music was never popular in Germany, his best works are still played in Italy, France and England. Boccherini and Haydn are supposed to have known each other's work and to have corresponded and their chamber-music is often compared. Boccherini's most famous works are his quintets, which are so arranged as to give the first violoncello the important and difficult part. Some of his instrumental works were twenty-one sonatas for piano and violin; twenty-eight trios for two violins and violoncello, one hundred and two string quartets; one hundred and thirteen quintets for two violins, viola and violoncellos; twenty symphonies and an orchestral suite. Among his vocal works were a Stabat Mater, A Christmas cantata; an opera, La Clementina; an oratorio; a mass for four voices; and motets and duets.
Bochsa (bôkh'-sä), Robert Nicolas Charles. 1789-1856.
Celebrated harpist and dramatic composer. He was born in France, where his father, Karl Bochsa, a Bohemian musician, was a flute and clarinet player. His musical talent developed very early, so that at the age of seven he played a piano concerto in public. At nine he composed a duet and a symphony for the flute and at sixteen he wrote an opera, Trajan. His family having moved to Bordeaux, he studied composition for a year with the celebrated Franz Beck. During this time he wrote an oratorio, Le Déluge Universal; and a ballet. In 1806, having already become very proficient on the harp, piano, the violin and flute, Bochsa entered the Conservatory of Paris where he took up composition and harmony under Catel and Méhul. Later he studied the harp under Nadermann and Marin, but formed an entirely new style of his own and completely revolutionized harp-playing. In 1813, he became first harpist to the Emperor Napoleon and, in 1816, was appointed to the same position for Louis XVIII. In 1817, being detected in large forgeries, he fled to London and never returned to France. Bochsa popularized the harp in London and became a much sought for and fashionable teacher. In 1822, when the Academy of Music was established, he was made professor of the harp, but charges of misconduct were brought against him and in 1827, he was dismissed. From 1826 to 1832 he conducted the Italian Opera at the King's Theatre. In 1839, he eloped with Sir Henry Bishop's wife, with whom he made concert tours through Europe, America and Australia, where he died in Sidney, of dropsy.
Bochsa composed nine operas; four ballets; an oratorio, already mentioned; a Requiem Mass and several orchestral works; beside about one hundred and fifty works for the harp, consisting of concertos, symphonies, fantasias, sonatas and capriccios. He also wrote a Method for the Harp, which is still a standard. Bochsa is said to have been too prolific for his own fame as a musician and as a man he was very unreliable and dissipated.
Boehm (barn), Joseph. 1795-1876.
Wellknown violinist and teacher. He was born at Pesth and studied first with his father and later with Rode. Began his career in 1815, at Vienna, after which he spent several years making concert tours in Italy. After returning to Vienna, in 1819, he was appointed professor of the violin in the Conservatory of Vienna. And in 1821 he became a member of the Imperial band. From 1823 to 1825 he again made successful concert tours.
It was a teacher, however, that he was best known and among his many famous pupils were Ernst, Joachim, Hellmesberger, Singer and Straus. He published about twenty compositions for the violin which are of no special importance.
Boekelmann (ba'-kël-män), Bernardus. 1838-
Excellent pianist. Born in Holland. Studied first with his father, who was a musical director. Went to Leipsic in 1857, where he studied in the Conservatory under Moscheles, Richter, and Hauptmann. During 1861 and 1862 he was in Berlin, as a private pupil of Kiel, Von Bülow and Weitzmann. Boekelmann made a trip to Mexico, in 1864, where he played on several occasions before the Court. In 1866, he settled in New York, where he has since lived as a teacher and pianist and where he founded and conducted the New York Trio Club. He has composed orchestral music, and many études for the piano; as well as four and eight-hand pieces and. solos, also pieces for the violin and piano, and songs. He has published an edition of Bach's Well-tempered Clavichord, in colors, which is very unique.
Boëllmann (bwél'-män), Léon. 1862-1897.
French organist and composer, whose work is marked by grace and clearness. He was an excellent organ-player, and wrote much music for the organ; many short pieces; two suites; and, a fantastic dialogué for organ and orchestra. He left sixty-eight published works, among them a symphony; famous variations symphoniques for violoncello and orchestra; a sonata for piano and violoncello; songs; pieces for the piano; much church music; a trio; and his quartet for piano and strings which gained the prize, in 1877, of the Société des Compositeurs. Léon Boëllmann was born at Ensisheim, Alsace, and at an early age went to Paris for study. He was a pupil at the school founded by Niedermeyer, where his teacher was Gigout, the celebrated organist. Boëllmann taught for a period in Gigout's Organ School; for awhile was sub-organist, and later became chief organist at the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Paris. He died in Paris in the autumn of 1897.
Böhm (bám), Theobald. 1794-1881.
Celebrated German flute-player. He made great improvements in the construction of the flute, as an instrument, and through it of all wood-wind instruments. Böhm's construction gave the flute a much fuller and rounder tone, which is generally considered an improvement, but some authorities declare it detracts from the purity and sweetness of quality. In making these changes Böhm originated an entirely new system of fingering, which bears his name. This method has been largely adopted by flute-players. His system, while it gave an added ease in playing and a more even tone, had the disadvantage of making the instrument heavier and increased the possibilities of leakage. Böhm was a member of the Royal band of Munich for years. He composed many brilliant works for the flute, consisting of fantasias, études, polonaises and variations.
Boieldieu (bô-éld-yu'), Francois Adrien. 1775-1843.
A voluminous and highly talented French operatic composer. He was born at Rouen, his father being secretary there, to the archbishop. On account of domestic troubles between his parents, which finally resulted in divorce, Boieldieu while still a small boy, went to live with Broche, the organist of the cathedral at Rouen, an excellent musician, who so far as is known was his only teacher. At the age of eighteen, the boy composed a small opera, La Fille Coupable, for which his father had written the libretto. This being successful, was followed two years later by a second, Rosalie and Myrza, and at this time, he also wrote some beautiful ballads and chansons. Encouraged by these attempts, Boieldieu went to Paris, where he soon became acquainted with the foremost musicians, Méhul and Cherubini among the number. He brought out, in 1776, a one-act comic opera, Les deux Lettres; in 1797, a second, La Famille Suisse and, in 1798, Zoraime et Zulnare. These years were all highly successful and Boieldieu's reputation as a composer was firmly established, in 1800, by, The Calif of Bagdad, the last and best work of the first period of his musical career. At this time, he also wrote some piano and chamber-music, and, in 1800, was appointed professor of the piano at the Paris Conservatory. It is said, but is also denied, that after writing The Calif of Bagdad, Boieldieu took a thorough course in counter-point, and harmony under Cherubini. At any rate, his next opera, Ma tante Aurore, was not produced until three years later, and showed an immense amount of progress and improvement.
In 1803, suddenly and supposedly on account of domestic difficulties with his wife, who was a dancer, and with whom he was not happy, Boieldieu left Paris for Russia. Here he was appointed conductor of the Imperial Opera. His stay in Russia may be considered his second musical period and the works of this time, although numerous, added nothing to his fame. Only three of these were considered worth being produced in Paris. They were Rien de Trop, La Jeune Femme colère and Les voitures versées. When Boieldieu returned to Paris, in 1811, he found very little competition, Dalayrac being dead and Méhul and Cherubini both having retired. His first work of this third period was Jean de Paris, produced in 1812, one of his most beautiful operas and a brilliant success. After this for nearly fourteen years, he was engaged largely in collaboration with Cherubini, Isouard and Catel, producing only two works entirely alone. These were Le Nouveau Seigneur de village and Le petit Chaperon rouge. In 1817 he succeeded Méhul as professor of composition at the Conservatory of Paris, and, in 1825, he produced his master-piece La Dame Blanche. Grove says: " The Dame Blanche is the finest work of Boieldieu, and Boieldieu the greatest master of the French school of comic opera." The plot of this opera is a combination of Scott's novels, The Monastery and Guy Mannering. In 1829, Boieldieu produced his last opera, Les Deux Nuits, which, principally on account of the poor libretto, was a failure. This failure, together with failing health due to lung trouble, caused Boieldieu to re-tire to southern France. His last days were also saddened by financial difficulties, his pensions both being stopped in 1830. One of them was, however, renewed shortly before his death, and he was tenderly cared for by his second wife who had been a singer, and by whom he had a son, Adrien Louis Victor, who was a more than fair musician. Boieldieu died at Jarcy, his country seat, in 1834.
His work abounds in beautiful melodies and although he had very little training, his style, while simple, was finished and perfect. With the possible exception of Auber, he was the greatest composer in the field of comic opera. Among his distinguished pupils were Fétis, Zimmermann and Adam.
Boise (bois), Otis Bardwell. 1845-
American organist and composer. Born at Oberlin, Ohio, where his father was a physician. He showed musical talent very early, becoming organist of St. Paul's Church, Cleve-land, Ohio, at the age of fourteen. He went to Leipsic in 1861, where he stayed three years, studying with Hauptmann, Richter, Moscheles, and others, and then went to Berlin and worked under Kullak. In 1864, after a serious illness, brought on by over-work, he returned to America and was an organist in Cleveland until 1870, when he went to New York, where he was organist of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church and taught composition in the New York Conservatory. On account of ill health he went again to Europe in 1876, visited Leipsic, where he had a motet performed, spent a year at Weisbaden, where he met Raff and, in 1878, re-turned to New York, where he taught until 1881. From 1881 to 1888 he was in business in New York and since that time has been teaching in Berlin. His works consist of a psalm for chorus and orchestra; symphonies; concertos; overtures; songs and part-songs. In 1879 he gave a concert at Chickering Hall, New York, with a program made up entirely of his own works. He has published Harmony made Practical and Music and its Masters, and has written numerous articles on musical subjects.
Boito (bo-ë'-tö), Arrigo. 1842-
A well-known poet, librettist, and composer of the modern Italian school, born at Padua, in whose works is seen a blending of the temperaments of his Italian artist father and Polish mother, the Countess Josephine Radolinska. Arrigo was encouraged in his poetic taste by his elder brother, Camillo, an author and distinguished professor of architecture of the Brera, but when he reached the age of fourteen, he showed sufficient musical ability to bring the family to Milan, so that he might enter the Conservatory. Yet at first he seemed so unpromising a pupil that the authorities would have turned him out had it not been for the intervention of his teacher, Alberto Mazzucato. Boito's first musical work was the cantata Il 4 Giugno (The Fourth of June), written in 1860. In 1862 Le Sorelle d'Italia (the manuscript of which unfortunately is lost) was performed at the Conservatory. Boito wrote the poem and the music for the second part, and his friend Faccio the music for part first, and it proved such a triumphant success that the two young composers were presented by the government with money enough to spend two years in other countries studying foreign music. Boito passed the time in Paris and Germany, but returned to Italy with his musical ideas practically unaltered, Beethoven, Marcello, Meyerbeer and Verdi remaining his ideals, yet these ideas were greatly in advance of the progress of Italian music at that time. Though he had been working on Faust, even while at the Conservatory, nothing definite had found shape, and the success of Gounod's Faust caused him to turn his attention wholly to literature, in which he has always been interested, equally, if not more than in music. Much of his time during his student days was spent in the library of the Brera, where he gained a thorough knowledge of the classics and a perfect command of Italian and French. In 1861 he began writing poems, which were published in 1877 as I1 libro dei Versi, under the name Tobia Gorrio, an anagram which he frequently used. He also produced his only novel, L'Alfier Meno, in this period, and contributed to Italian and French Reviews, notably the Giornale della Società del Quartetto di Milano, which Mazzucata established, hoping to stimulate an interest in instrumental music. By championing Mendelssohn, Boito was compelled to fight a duel in which he was wounded. During the war with Austria, in 1866, he, together with his friends Faccio, Emilio Praga, and others, fought with the volunteers under Garibaldi, but early in 1867 he went to Paris, determined to settle there as a journalist. Despite the help of Victor Hugo, he could not find an opening, so he went on to visit his sister at her quiet country home in Poland and there turned his attention again to Faust or Mefistofele, as he now called it. He intended to return to Paris in the fall but did not carry out this plan, however, for the managers, Bonola and Brunello, hearing that his opera was now nearing completion, offered to produce it at La Scala. Boito finished the work hastily and returned to Milan, which has since - been his home. Mefistofele was very long and entirely different from the conventional Italian Opera, so the ardor of the immense audience, which had cheered lustily after the Prologue in the Heavens, cooled, until, before the end of the five acts, feeling had been completely reversed and pandemonium broke loose among the en-raged listeners. But he did not give up on account of this failure. He changed Faust's part from barytone to tenor, greatly revised the opening scene and the Sabba Romantico in the second act, and omitted some scenes entirely. In this new form it was given with great success at Bologna, in 1875. The original score has not yet been printed, so that it is impossible to follow, in that way, the change of his ideals. It was grandly conceived, but the orchestration was weak and there were some impractical scenes, yet some critics think the original more artistic than the present form. Unlike Gounod, Boito has used Goethe's entire poem, thus subjecting himself to lack of unity of interest which is thought to be the reason that Mefistofele is being seen less and less frequently since the retirement of Christine Nilsson, whose principal piece it was and who introduced it at London in 1880.
Boito is on admirer but not an imitator of Wagner, though his principles won him the name of the Italian Wagner, but latterly Bach has held the highest place in his esteem. He has written three other operas, Ero e Leandro, Nerone, and Orestiade, but none of them has been produced, for, as he is a critic, he seems dissatisfied with his own works. The libretto of Ero e Leandro, he gave to his friend Bottesini, who set it and it was later used, also successfully, by Mancinelli, but Boito himself used part of the music in his Ode to Art for the opening of the National Exhibition at Turin in 1882, and another theme was published as a barcarola for four voices. Boito is the author of the librettos of Faccio's Amleto, Ponchielli's La Gioconda, Palumbo's Alessandro Farnese, Dominiceto's Tram, and Verdi's Otello and Falstaff, and he also wrote the volume on Marcello in the Great Musicians' Series, edited by Hueffer. He has received the titles of Cavliere, Ufficiale and Commendatore from the Italian Government, as well as the cross of the Legion of Honor from France, but he is too modest to use them. In 1892 he was appointed Inspector General of Technical Instruction in the Conservatories and Lyceums of Italy. Also a degree was conferred upon him by Cambridge University in 1893. He has translated a number of works by Wagner, Schumann, and Rubinstein, and in 1901 published a tragedy, Nerone, possibly the libretto of his opera.
Bomtempo (bòm-tam'-pò), Joao Domingo. About 1775-1842.
Portuguese composer, pianist, and director. He was born at Lisbon, about 1775. In 1795 he settled in Paris, and with a period of absence in London, remained at the French capital until 1820, in which year he returned to Lisbon. In his native city he founded a Philharmonic Society, was made head of the Conservatory, held the post of instructor of the Royal family and director of the Court band. He was the author of operas, church music, compositions for the piano, and of a Method for Piano.
Bond, Mrs. Carrie Jacobs. 1863-Contemporary American song-writer whose work is marked by simplicity and sympathy. On the title page of certain volumes of her songs is inscribed this phrase, "as unpretentious as the wild-rose." She publishes her own work, at the Bond Shop, Chicago, which has sent out numerous musical compositions of hers as well as some verse. Carrie M. Jacobs was born in Janesville, Wisconsin. She cannot remember the time when she could not sing; at the age of four she could pick out airs on the piano and at seven could play anything she heard. She was married to Dr. Frank Bond, in 1888, and removed to Northern Michigan. On his death, in 1895, she came to Chicago with the intention of starting a new home there. The new establishment was to be shared with Amber, the well-known Chicago newspaper writer, but the plan was frustrated by the death of this friend. Mrs. Bond now went abroad for a season, and there received encouragement to devote her attention to music. On her return she settled in Chicago. Her work was introduced to the public by means of recitals, at which she sang her own songs solely. She made extensive tours in this country, and in 1905, sang in various European capitals. For a number of years she has published her compositions herself, consisting of a large number of songs and various pieces for the piano. Of the songs mention should be made of His Lullaby; Where to Build Your Castles; Three Ages of Man; I Love You Truly; Just A Wearyin' For You; Des Hold My Hand; His Buttons are Marked U. S.; Movin' In De Bes' Soci'ty; The Dear Auf Wiedersehn; and The Naughty Little Girl.
Bononcini (bö-nôn-ché'-né), Giovanni Battista. About 1660-about 1750.
The most famous member of a noted family of Italian musicians. He was educated by his father and later studied at Bologna. About 1691 he went to Vienna, where he was appointed violoncellist, in the band of the Emperor Leopold, and where, at the age of eighteen, he brought out an opera, Camilla, which was very successful, but which is said to have been the work of his brother. In 1694, Bononcini went to Rome, where he produced his first operas, Tullo Ostilio and Serse. From 1699 to 1711, he was Court composer at Vienna, with the exception of two years, 1703 to 1705, that he spent in Berlin, as composer to Queen Sophie Charlotte. From this time up to 1720 his time was divided between Vienna and Italy. In 1720 he went to London, as one of the composers for the Royal Academy of Music, which had just been founded, with Handel as director. A great rivalry grew up between Bononcini and Handel, which resulted in two factions, almost political in character, the King supporting Handel, and the Duke of Marborough and other nobles favoring Bononcini. Bononcini was finally taken into the Marlborough family and given a pension of five hundred pounds a year. This rivalry was brought to a crisis by the performance of the opera, Muzio Scevola, of which Handel, Bononcini, and probably Ariosti, composed, each an act. The public decided overwhelmingly in favor of Handel. This decision, together with the discovery that Bononcini had published a madrigal of Lotti's as his own, completed his defeat and broke off his connection with the Marlborough family, and, his reputation beginning to suffer, he lost his friends and position. In 1733, a swindler going under the name of Count Ughi, persuaded Bononcini to go to Paris, where he cheated him out of the remains of his fortune, on the pretense of being able to make gold. Bononcini was now compelled to take up his profession again and composed for the Chapel Royal a motet, playing the violoncello him-self for Louis XV. In 1848, the Emperor of Germany sent for him to come to Vienna, to compose the music for the Peace of Aix-Ia-Chapelle. Soon after this he went to Venice as composer to the opera and here, at the age of ninety, we lose trace of him. While composer for the Royal Academy in London, Bononcini produced the operas, Astarto; Crispo; Griselda; Pharnaces; Erminia; Calphurnia; and Astyanax. These with other operas, in all thirty-two; oratorios; masses; madrigals and motets, are his most important works. He also published some piano and chamber-music.
Bonvin (bôn-vän), Ludwig. 1850-
Contemporary Swiss composer, organist and chorister, at present orchestra-director at Canisus College, Buffalo, New York. He was born at Siders, Switzerland. Was the son of a physician, studied in the college at Sitten, and later began medical studies in Vienna. As a musician he is chiefly self-taught, with the exception of piano lessons during the college days in Sitten. In 1874 he entered the order of Jesuits in Holland, and in England, in 1885, was ordained priest. For about six years he served as organist, in various houses of the order in Holland and England. Father Bonvin came to America in 1887, and from that year to 1905 held the post of choir-director at Canisius College, and then became director of the orchestra. He is the author of vocal and instrumental compositions. His works for voice include choruses, both sacred and secular, songs, and duets with orchestra. Among the instrumental compositions are three tone-poems for organ, a symphony, and several orchestral pieces.
Borghi (bôr'-ge), Adelaide. 1829-1901.
A celebrated Italian singer once very widely known as Borghi-Mamo. She was born at Bologna, and at a very early age showed a decided talent for singing. She made a successful debut in Urbino when only seventeen, was engaged to remain there, but later went to Malta, and in this city was married to Signor Mamo. After appearing in various cities of Italy, she was very successful in Italian Opera at Paris and Vienna. At Paris she sang also in a French production of Il Trovatore, remaining there several seasons. She made her London debut, in 1860, in London. Among other roles she sang Leonora, Desdemona, Rosine, and Zerlina and was highly regarded both as an actress and a singer. She returned again to Paris, but not to London, sang in Italy and Lisbon, and on her retirement from the stage took up her residence in Florence. A daughter, Ermina, a soprano singer, has met with success in Italian Opera.
Borodin (bô'rô-den), Alexander Porphyrjevitch. 1834-1887.
An excellent Russian composer of the National School, born at St. Petersburg, the illegitimate son of a Prince of Imeretia. By profession he was a scientist, having studied at the Academy of Medicine in St. Petersburg, where after two years of service as an army surgeon and three years of study abroad, he became professor of chemistry. The same year, 1862, he met Balakirev, founder of the New School of Russian Music, who fanned into a blaze the spark of musical genius which had been smoldering in Borodin from boyhood. In 1863 he married Catherine Protopopova, an amateur pianist of considerable talent. He played the flute, cello, and piano and wrote a flute and piano concerto at the age of thirteen which was followed soon after by a scherzo for piano and string sextet, and a trio for two violins and cello. But it was not until he joined the Nationalists, that he took up the study of harmony and composition in earnest, during his leisure hours. After five years' work his First Symphony, in E flat, was completed in 1867 and played at Wiesbaden in 1880, and his Second Symphony, in B minor, occupied his spare time from 1871 to 1877. In the latter year he traveled in Germany, visiting Liszt at Weimar, from whence, according to Grove, he sent letters to his wife, which form an interesting picture of the noted master. His prominence in science must have interfered greatly with his work as a composer, for, aside from his duties at the Medical Academy, he helped establish the School of Medicine for Women, in 1872, where he lectured until his sudden death, at a party at his home, in 1877. He also wrote a number of valuable treatises on chemistry, and was a knight and Councilor of State. Probably his most popular musical work, and the one by which he became known in this country is the symphonic sketch, In the Steppes of Central Asia, produced in 1880, a remarkable description of the great desert, representing the passing of a native caravan, attended by Russian soldiers. This gives him room for splendid coloring, in presenting the songs of the Russians and Asiatics and the silence of the monotonous steppes, and allows him to indulge, not only his national feeling, but his natural Oriental tendency. This sketch was intended for living tableaux to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the reign of Alexander II. Borodin's other works include two string quartets, one in A major on a theme of Beethoven's, and one in B major; romances; a suite; and a Spanish Serenade, for piano; a number of songs of peculiar harmony, one Chez Ceuxla et Chez Nous with orchestra; a Third Symphony in A minor, finished by Glazounov; and the opera, Prince Igor, his finest work. It is a melodic opera, and unusually optomistic for a Russian play. The libretto, by Pushkin, is based on an old Russian epic describing Prince Igor's war against the Polovtsi. He left it unfinished but Rimsky-Korsakoff completed it, Glazounov supplying the third act, and the overture from memory, having Borodin's piano sketch of
it. The opera was successfully produced at St. Petersburg in 1890, and at Kiev in 1891. He also started two other operas, one on Mei's the Betrothed of the Tsar, which was never finished, and Mlada, which Rimsky-Korsakoff completed and presented in 1892. With Rimsky-Korsakoff, Leadov, and Glazounov he wrote a quartet on the tones B-la-f, in honor of their publisher Belaieff, and Grove mentions his contribution of the Polka, Marche Funèbre, and Requiem to the twenty-four variations and fourteen pieces for piano on the Chopsticks Waltz, called the Paraphrases, in which he was joined by Liszt as well as the other members of his own school.
Bortniansky (bôrt-nyän'-shki), Dimitri Stepanovich. 1752-1825.
A Russian composer and choirmaster, to whom belongs the credit of reducing Russian church music to a system. He was born at Gloukoff, a village of Russian-Poland, studied music under Galuppi in St. Petersburg and Venice, and continued his musical education at Rome, Naples, and Bologna. An opera, Quinto Fabio, was produced at Modena in 1778, his Creonte having been given in Venice two years earlier. In 1779 he returned to Russia and was appointed director of the Empress' Church choir; in which he instituted many reforms, writing for the choir a mass and over forty concertos. Bortniansky was the author of much church music, and his compositions rank high. Tschaikowsky edited a complete edition of his works in ten volumes.
Borwick, Leonard. 1868-
Celebrated English concert pianist, a distinguished pupil of Clara Schumann. He was born in Essex, England, his father being a lover of music and an amateur violoncellist. Leonard Borwick began piano lessons at five, at the age of eleven was a pupil of Henry Bird, and four years later was sent to Germany, where he studied at Frankfort under Marie Schumann and later with Clara Schumann. After completing his studies with Clara Schumann, he made his debut in Frankfort, playing Beethoven's E flat concerto. His London debut took place at a Philharmonic concert, and here he played Schumann's concerto. Before the Philharmonic Society of Vienna he gave Brahm's D minor concerto. He has often played with the famous Joachim Quartet, and has had a very successful career, touring in Germany, Nor-way, and Sweden, and appearing frequently in London and Paris. He is very fond of the classics and is an excellent interpreter of Saint-Saëns and Liszt.
Boschi (bôs'-kë), Giuseppe.
A noted bass singer of the Eighteenth Century. Of his early and later life nothing is known; he is thought to have been a native of Viterbo, Italy, but of the date of his birth, under whom he received his training, and where he first appeared, there is no knowledge. In 1711 he was engaged by Handel to sing in his operas in London, and though at that time bass-parts were proportionally small, Boschi succeeded in making a name for himself. He sang in Handel's Argante, Radamisto, Floridante, Ottone, Flavio, Giulio Cesare, and Tamerlane; in Bononcini's Astartus, Crispo, Farnace, and Calfurnia; and his powerful voice was heard in the works of several other composers. He made his last London appearance in 1828. Boschi's wife, Francesca Vanini, was a celebrated contralto singer.
Bosio (bö'zi-ö), Angiolina. 1830-1859.
An Italian singer, whose short career was most brilliant. She was immensely popular in St. Petersburg. While singing there she came to her death, falling a victim to the uncongenial climate, and dying very suddenly, at the height of her career. She was born at Turin, a member of a family of musicians and actors, and became famous as a mezzosoprano and operatic actress. She studied at Milan, and in that city made her first appearance, at the age of sixteen. She met with pronounced success at Verona, appeared at Copenhagen and was urged to remain. In Madrid she was most enthusiastically received but not in Paris. She visited America, singing in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, where she was very well liked. In 1851, soon after her return to Europe, she married a Greek gentleman named Xindavelonis. She made her London debut in 1852, be-came a great favorite there, and in Moscow and St. Petersburg was extraordinarily successful. She sang, among other operas, in Rigoletto, Jessonda, Il Barbiere, Ernani, La Traviata, Fra Diavolo, and made a great hit in I Puritano, as Elvira, ranking next to Grisi. Her untimely death was mourned by a very large public.
Bossi (bôs'-se), Marco Enrico. 1861-
One of the most prominent of the younger Italian composers, whose music is distinctively German in style. He was born at Salo, Italy, his father being an Italian organist. At the age of ten he entered the Liceo Musicale, at Bologna, where he studied for three years. From 1873 to 1881 he was at the Conservatory of Milan, where he studied composition under Ponchielli and organ with Fumagalli, also taking up the piano and violin. In 1881 he became organist and conductor at the Como Cathedral, where he remained ten years. From 1891 to 1895 he was professor of the organ and harmony at the Conservatory of Naples, after which he was director of the Liceo Benedetto Marcello at Venice. In 1902 he was appointed director of the Liceo Musicale at Bologna. Bossi is, perhaps, the best of modern Italian organists and has written many works for that instrument, the best of which, is probably his organ concerto, which was given at the World's Fair in Chicago. He has written three operas, Paquita, in one act; L'Angelo della Notte and Il Veggento. He has also composed a symphonic poem, Il Cieco. In sacred work, he has produced the oratorio, Christus, beside a large number of masses, cantatas and motets, and he has also written several orchestral numbers; some chamber-music and piano pieces and songs. One of his latest, and perhaps his best work, is a setting of Milton's Paradise Lost. His Method of Study for the Organ, written with Tebaldini, is considered a standard work.
Bottesini (bôt-te-se-në), Giovanni. 1822-1889.
A distinguished Italian doublebassplayer, also highly esteemed as a conductor and composer. Grove says that his marvelous command of his unwieldy instrument excited the admiration of the whole musical world of Europe. Bottesini was born at Crema, in Lombardy, and died at Parma. He inherited his musical talent, his father being an excellent musician. Giovanni early showed that his talent was of unusual degree. When only eleven years old he was admitted to the Milan Conservatory, where he studied doublebass under Rossi, and harmony and composition with Basili and Vaccai. As double-bass virtuoso he traveled and gave concerts in Italy from 1840 to 1846, and then went to America. He spent several years in Havana, where he played chief doublebass in the orchestra, and in that city, in 1874, was produced his first opera, Christophe Colombe. In 1849 he made his first appearance in London, meeting with a most enthusiastic reception. From 1855 to 1857 he was in Paris and held the post of orchestra conductor of the Italian Opera. Next he went to Palermo, where he was director at the Bellini Theatre in 1861. In 1863, he was director at Barcelona, and for a period was director of the Italian Opera at Cairo. Bottesini conducted Italian Opera in London during the season of 1871, but presently returned to Italy and became director of the Parma Conservatory. He was the author of several compositions for his instrument; of several operas, L'Assedio di Firenze; II Diavolo della Notte; Marion Delorme; Vinciguerra; Ali Baba; Ero e Leandro; and wrote the music of the oratorio, The Garden of Olivet, produced at the Norwich Festival of 1887.
Boucher (boo-sha), Alexander Jean. 1778-1861.
A French violin-player, with a good deal of technical skill, but a charlatan in his methods. He resorted to various tricks to attract the attention of the public; emphasized by all manner of means his noticeable likeness to Napoleon; added startling additions of his own when interpreting a composer's work; and in his playing made use of exaggerated expression. He succeeded in his aim of arousing public notice, and became very well known throughout Europe. Boucher was born in Paris. He was one of the youthful prodigies, and it is said played at court, when only six years old, and at the age of eight appeared at the Concert Spirituel. He went to Spain in 1787, in Madrid held the post of solo violinist to the King; and returned to Paris in 1806. From 1820 to 1844 he traveled everywhere about Europe, attracting much attention, and calling himself " L'Alexandre des Violins; " at the conclusion of his travels he came back to France, and his death occurred in Paris. As a violinist Boucher's execution was remarkable, but he was more of a trickster than an artist.
Bourgault -Ducoudray (boor-gödü-koo-drë), Louis Albert. 1840-
A French composer, professor, and writer, who, while not widely known, holds a high place in the world of music. He has not produced much original work, but rather, has turned his attention to the study of musical antiquities, and has shown great interest in the folk-songs of many countries. Since 1878 he has lectured on musical history at the Paris Conservatory. He was born at Nantes, and after finishing a classical course and being admitted to the legal profession, took up the study of music at the Paris Conservatory under Ambroise Thomas. In 1862 he won first prize for composition. A student of the music of the past, he founded in Paris, in 1869, an amateur choral society that, under his direction, gave choruses from Palestrina, and Orlando Lasso, Bach cantatas, and other works by the older masters. A sojourn in Greece brought forth, in 1876, the pamphlet Souvenirs d'une mission musicale en Grèce et en Orient, and a collection of songs called Trente Mélodies populaires de la Grèce et de l'Orient. He made re-searches in Brittany, and published, with French translations, Trente Mélodies populaires de la Basse Bretagne. Among original works of Bourgault-Ducoudray are a choral symphony, a fantasie, a Carnaval d'Athènes, several cantatas, the operas Bretagne and Thamara.
Bourgeois (boor'-zhwä), Louis.
A French musician, teacher, and composer of the Sixteenth Century, his chief claim to distinction being that he had an important part in the selection and arranging of tunes in the Genevan Psalter. Recent investigation has shown that he also wrote many of the melodies. He received an invitation to Geneva in 1541, left there in 1557, and it is thought had no connection with the Genevan Psalter after the latter year. Little is known of his life. He was born in Paris, early in the Sixteenth Century, and about the time of Calvin's return from Strasburg, was called to Geneva. In 1545 took the place, in association with another, vacated by Guillaume Franc, as Master of the Children. In Geneva, Bourgeois seems to have fared rather ill at the hands of the Council, who reduced his pittance, and though Calvin himself made intercession in his behalf it was of no avail. Once he was thrown into prison for the offense of altering psalm tunes without permission, but this time Calvin was successful in his effort for him, obtained his release and the alterations were adopted. Bourgeois was one of the first to harmonize the melodies of the French version of the psalms. In 1547 he published three collections of psalms, and these were printed at Lyons, in-stead of Geneva, probably because of Calvin's opposition to the use of harmony. A treatise of his, published at Geneva in 1550, proposed a reform in the naming of sounds, the first proposal, according to Grove, to abandon the method of the Guidonian Hand and to teach music by the employment of the solfeggio. Bourgeois returned to Paris in 1557, and it is believed spent the remainder of his days there. He published a collection of psalms in Paris, in 1561.
Bowman, Edward Morris. 1848-
Eminent American organist. Born in Vermont. Has studied music since his childhood, having his first instruction at Canton, New York. His family moved to Minneapolis, Minn., in 1862, where he became organist of Holy Trinity Church and also gave music lessons. In 1866 he went to New York where he studied the piano with Mason and the organ and theory with John P. Morgan, and was' organist of Old Trinity Church. From 1867 to 1872 he was in St. Louis, Mo., as teacher, conductor and organist. In 1872 he went to Europe, with his wife who was an artist of some ability. He remained three years, most of which time he spent in Berlin, where he studied the piano with Franz Bendel, the organ with Haupt and theory and composition with Weitzmann, also studying registration for part of the year in Paris, with Batiste. Returning to St. Louis, in 1874, he remained in that city until 1887, with a trip to Europe in 1881, when he was the first American to pass the examination of the London Royal College of Organists. Since 1887 he has been in Brooklyn, where he is organist of the Baptist Temple. From 1891 to 1895 he was professor of music at Vassar College. In 1895 he organized in Brooklyn the Temple choir, of two hundred voices, which he still conducts. Bowman has served three terms as president of the Music Teachers' National Association. In 1884 he helped to found the American College of Music, for which he served as president for eight terms, being now honorary president and trustee. He is also one of the founders of the American Guild of Organists. He is beside a very successful teacher and has published Bowman's Weitzmann's Manual of Musical Theory.
Boyce (bois), William. 1710-1779.
English organist and dramatic composer. He was in the choir of St. Paul's Church under Charles King and later studied with Maurice Greene. He became organist of St. Michael's, Cornhill, in 1736, and the same year was appointed composer to the Chapel Royal and the King. In 1737, Boyce was chosen conductor of the musical festival held by the Three Choirs (Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford) and, in 1749, became organist of All Hallows Church. These positions he resigned in 1758 to be-come organist of the Chapel Royal. He was given the degree of Doctor of Music in 1749 by Cambridge. Boyce's compositions consisted of anthems and services; twelve sonatas for violin and a violin concerto; and eight symphonies; beside an oratorio, Noah; a masque for The Tempest; dirges for Romeo and Juliet and Cymbeline; a masque, Pellus and Thetis, a trio for The Winter's Tale, and Harlequin's Invasion, and also a large number of songs, duets and cantatas. Boyce's most important work was the collecting and editing of the Cathedral Music, which was published in three volumes, the first appearing in 1760 and the last in 1778. This work, which was begun by Dr. Greene, and was taken up after his death, at his request, by Boyce, was a collection in score of the most valuable English sacred compositions by eminent musicians of the last two centuries.
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