Part 1
Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Jane Robins, with special credit to Linda Cantoni for the music files, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+-------------------------------------------+ | Note: | | | | = around word indicates bold =CAPSULE.= | | _ around word indicated italics _Erebus_ | +-------------------------------------------+
[Illustration:
FAMOVS COMPOSERS AND THEIR WORKS
VOL. I ]
Famous Composers and their Works
Edited by
John Knowles Paine Theodore Thomas and Karl Klauser
Illustrated
[Illustration]
Boston J. B. Millet Company 1906
Copyright, 1891, by J. B. MILLET COMPANY.
This book is dedicated by the Publishers to Henry L. Higginson who has advanced the culture of music in America.
[Illustration]
List of Contributors
America
Clarence J. Blake Mrs. Ole Bull Charles L. Capen John S. Dwight Louis C. Elson Henry T. Finck John Fiske Arthur Foote Philip Hale William J. Henderson Louis Kelterborn Henry E. Krehbiel Leo R. Lewis W. S. B. Mathews John K. Paine Martin Roeder Howard M. Ticknor John Towers George P. Upton Benj. E. Woolf
England
Edward Dannreuther Mrs. Julian Marshall W. S. Rockstro
France
Oscar Comettant Adolphe Jullien Arthur Pougin
Germany
Wilhelm Langhans Philipp Spitta
The Illustrations
The originals of the illustrations reproduced for this work were collected from museums, conservatories, antiquaries, public and private libraries, and other authentic sources in England and on the Continent, by Mr. Arthur J. Mundy, who spent several months in making a special search.
The authorities in London, Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice, Vienna, Leipsic, Dresden, Berlin, and other places visited, gladly assisted in making the collection as complete as possible.
This material was placed in the hands of Mr. Karl Klauser, who made valuable additions to it from his private collection of authentic portraits. A lifelong study of this subject enabled him to contribute valuable notes and comments on the illustrations.
The ornamental half-titles, headpieces, and initials were designed by Mr. E. B. Bird, of Boston.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
DEDICATION III
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS V
LIST OF FULL-PAGE PLATES VIII
INDEX OF ILLUSTRATIONS IX-XII
GENERAL INDEX 961
* * * * *
ORLANDO DI LASSO _W. J. Henderson_ 3
THE NETHERLAND MASTERS _W. J. Henderson_ 11
GIOVANNI PIERLUIGI DA PALESTRINA _Louis C. Elson_ 25
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDE _W. S. B. Mathews_ 33
ALESSANDRO SCARLATTI _W. S. B. Mathews_ 37
GIOVANNI BATTISTA PERGOLESE _H. M. Ticknor_ 43
GIOACCHINO ROSSINI _Arthur Pougin_ 51
VINCENZO BELLINI _H. M. Ticknor_ 67
GAETANO DONIZETTI _H. M. Ticknor_ 75
GASPARO LUIGI PACIFICO SPONTINI _Adolphe Jullien_ 83
LUIGI CHERUBINI _Philipp Spitta_ 93
ARRIGO BOITO _Arthur Pougin_ 107
GIOVANNI SGAMBATI _Arthur Foote_ 111
GUISEPPI VERDI _Benj. E. Woolf_ 117
MUSIC IN ITALY _Martin Roeder_ 135
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH _Philipp Spitta_ 163
GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL _Philipp Spitta_ 195
CHRISTOPH WILIBALD GLUCK _W. Langhans_ 219
FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN _Benj. E. Woolf_ 245
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART _Philip Hale_ 269
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (Biography) _Philip Hale_ 309
THE DEAFNESS OF BEETHOVEN _Clarence J. Blake_ 333
BEETHOVEN AS COMPOSER _John K. Paine_ 337
FRANZ PETER SCHUBERT _John Fiske_ 351
LUDWIG SPOHR _W. J. Henderson_ 375
CARL MARIA VON WEBER _H. E. Krehbiel_ 389
HEINRICH MARSCHNER _H. E. Krehbiel_ 409
FELIX MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY _John S. Dwight_ 417
ROBERT SCHUMANN _Louis Kelterborn_ 439
ROBERT FRANZ _Louis Kelterborn_ 463
GIACOMO MEYERBEER _Arthur Pougin_ 473
STRAUSS _Henry T. Finck_ 487
JOSEPH JOACHIM RAFF _W. J. Henderson_ 497
JOHANNES BRAHMS _Louis Kelterborn_ 503
CARL GOLDMARK _W. J. Henderson_ 515
MAX BRUCH _Louis C. Elson_ 519
JOSEPH GABRIEL RHEINBERGER _Louis Kelterborn_ 525
RICHARD WAGNER _W. J. Henderson_ 533
MUSIC IN GERMANY _John K. Paine and Leo R. Lewis_ 569
JEAN BAPTISTE LULLY _Oscar Comettant_ 609
JEAN PHILIPPE RAMEAU _Oscar Comettant_ 615
ANDRÉ ERNEST MODESTE GRÉTRY _Oscar Comettant_ 623
FRANÇOIS ADRIEN BOIELDIEU _Louis C. Elson_ 633
ETIENNE NICOLAS MÉHUL _Geo. P. Upton_ 639
LOUIS JOSEPH FERDINAND HÉROLD _Geo. P. Upton_ 645
DANIEL FRANÇOIS ESPRIT AUBER _Oscar Comettant_ 653
JACQUES FRANÇOIS FROMENTAL ELIAS HALÉVY _Benj. E. Woolf_ 665
HECTOR BERLIOZ _Adolphe Jullien_ 675
AMBROISE THOMAS _Benj. E. Woolf_ 691
ALEXANDER CÉSAR LÉOPOLD BIZET _Philip Hale_ 697
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS _Oscar Comettant_ 703
JULES EMILE FRÉDÉRIC MASSENET _Oscar Comettant_ 711
CHARLES GOUNOD _Arthur Pougin_ 719
MUSIC IN FRANCE _Arthur Pougin_ 735
FREDERICK CHOPIN _Edward Dannreuther_ 759
ANTON DVOŘÁK _Henry T. Finck_ 779
MICHAEL IVANOVITCH GLINKA _Philip Hale_ 785
ANTON RUBINSTEIN _Henry T. Finck_ 791
PETER ILITSCH TSCHAÏKOWSKY _W. J. Henderson_ 803
FRANZ LISZT _W. Langhans_ 813
EDUARD HAGERUP GRIEG _Sara C. Bull and Philip Hale_ 831
NIELS WILLIAM GADE _Louis C. Elson_ 837
MUSIC IN RUSSIA, POLAND, NORWAY, ETC. _Henry T. Finck_ 845
WILLIAM BYRD _W. S. Rockstro_ 867
HENRY PURCELL _John Towers_ 871
JOHN FIELD _Chas. L. Capen_ 877
WILLIAM STERNDALE BENNETT _W. S. Rockstro_ 881
MICHAEL WILLIAM BALFE _Benj. E. Woolf_ 885
ARTHUR SEYMOUR SULLIVAN _Florence A. Marshall_ 891
CHARLES HUBERT HASTINGS PARRY _W. S. Rockstro_ 899
ALEXANDER CAMPBELL MACKENZIE _Florence A. Marshall_ 903
CHARLES VILLIERS STANFORD _W. S. Rockstro_ 907
MUSIC IN ENGLAND _W. S. Rockstro_ 913
MUSIC IN AMERICA _Henry E. Krehbiel_ 933
LIST OF FULL-PAGE PLATES.
PLATE PAGE
41 AUBER facing 653
12 BACH, portrait 161
13 BACH, statue 169
60 BALFE 885
18 BEETHOVEN 307
5 BELLINI 67
59 BENNETT 881
43 BERLIOZ 673
45 BIZET 697
38 BOIELDIEU 633
9 BOITO 107
29 BRAHMS 503
31 BRUCH 519
8 CHERUBINI 91
49 CHOPIN 757
72 CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC IN LEIPSIC 593
6 DONIZETTI 75
50 DVOŘÁK 779
58 FIELD 877
25 FRANZ 463
56 GADE 837
70 GARDEN OF HARMONY 737
51 GLINKA 785
15 GLUCK 217
30 GOLDMARK 515
48 GOUNOD 717
37 GRÉTRY 623
55 GRIEG 831
42 HALÉVY 665
14 HANDEL 193
16 HAYDN 243
40 HÉROLD 645
1 LASSO 1
54 LISZT 811
35 LULLY 609
63 MACKENZIE 903
22 MARSCHNER 409
47 MASSENET 711
39 MÉHUL 639
23 MENDELSSOHN 415
26 MEYERBEER 471
17 MOZART 267
65 PAINE 931
2 PALESTRINA 25
71 PANTHEON OF GERMAN MUSICIANS 567
62 PARRY 899
57 PURCELL 871
28 RAFF 497
36 RAMEAU 615
32 RHEINBERGER 525
4 ROSSINI 49
52 RUBINSTEIN 791
46 SAINT-SAËNS 703
3 SCARLATTI 37
19 SCHUBERT 349
24 SCHUMANN 437
10 SGAMBATI 111
20 SPOHR 375
7 SPONTINI 83
64 STANFORD 907
27 STRAUSS 487
61 SULLIVAN 891
44 THOMAS 691
53 TSCHAÏKOWSKY 803
11 VERDI 115
33 WAGNER 531
34 WAGNER 545
21 WEBER 387
INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
(Titles set in small capital letters indicate full-page illustrations.)
PORTRAITS.
PAGE
Abt, Franz 602
Adam, Adolphe 751
Albrecht, V. 4
Allegri, Gregorio 141
AUBER 653
Auber, medallion 664
BACH, J. S. 161
Bach, J. S. 175
BACH, EMANUEL 583
Balakireff 852
BALFE 885
BEETHOVEN 307
Beethoven, silhouette 311
Beethoven, miniature 312
Beethoven, by Gatteux 317
Beethoven, pencil portrait 318
Beethoven, by Schimon 319
BEETHOVEN, by Stieler 321
BELLINI 67
BENNETT 881
BERLIOZ 673
Berlioz, by Signol 681
Berlioz in his later years 683
Berlioz, by Hüssener 685
Berton 745
BIZET 697
BOIELDIEU 633
BOITO 107
Borodin 853
BRAHMS, by Brasch 503
Brahms in early youth 505
Brahms, by Weger 509
BRAHMS, by Luckhardt 511
BRUCH 519
Bruch from wood-engraving 520
Bülow, Hans von 605
CHERUBINI 91
Cherubini, by Quenedey 95
CHERUBINI, by Ingres 105
CHOPIN 757
Chopin, by Duval 761
Chopin, by Winterhalter 765
CHOPIN, bas-relief 769
Cimarosa, Domenico 148
Colbran, Isabella Angela 55
Corelli, Arcangelo 152
Cornelius, Peter 603
Cramer, Johann Baptist 590
Cui, César 847
D'Alayrac 741
David, Félicien 753
DONIZETTI 75
Donizetti 77
Dussek, Johann Ludwig 588
DVOŘÁK 779
FIELD 877
Flotow, Friedrich von 600
FRANZ 463
FRANZ, by Weger 465
Franz 469
Frescobaldi, Girolamo 151
GADE 837
Gade 839
Geyer, Ludwig 535
GLINKA 785
Glinka in his 39th year 787
GLUCK, by Duplessis 217
Gluck, by Duplessis 223
Gluck, pencil portrait 227
Gluck, by Aug. de St. Aubin 241
GOLDMARK 515
GOUNOD, by Nadar 717
Gounod in his 41st year 723
GOUNOD IN HIS STUDY 729
Graun, Karl Heinrich 579
GRÉTRY 623
Grétry, by Vigée Lebrun 630
GRIEG 831
HALÉVY 665
HANDEL 193
HANDEL'S FATHER 199
HANDEL, by Houbraken 203
Handel, by Mad. Clement 207
Hassler, Hans Leo 571
Hauptmann, Moritz 598
HAYDN 243
Haydn, by Anton Graff 249
Haydn, silhouette 255
Haydn, miniature 257
Haydn in his 49th year 263
Hensel, William 423
HÉROLD 645
Hérold, medallion 652
Hiller, Ferdinand 593
Hummel, Johann N. 589
Jadassohn, Salomon 597
Joachim 863
Lachner, Franz 596
LASSO 1
Lasso, in "Penitential Psalms" 6
Lasso 7
Lesueur 743
LISZT 811
Liszt in his 13th year 815
Liszt in his 30th year 821
Liszt in his 75th year 821
Lortzing, Albert 599
LULLY 609
Lully, by Bonnart 611
Lully 613
MACKENZIE 903
Marcello, Benedetto 145
MARSCHNER 409
Martini, Padre 146
Mascagni, Pietro 159
MASSENET 711
MASSENET IN HIS STUDY 713
MÉHUL 639
Méhul 640
Méhul 641
MENDELSSOHN 415
Mendelssohn's father 419
Mendelssohn's mother 420
Mendelssohn, Fanny 421
Mendelssohn's wife 422
Mendelssohn on his death-bed 424
Mendelssohn in his 12th year 428
Mendelssohn in his 26th year 431
MEYERBEER 471
Meyerbeer in his eighth year 475
Meyerbeer, from wood-cut 479
Monte, Philip de 23
Moszkowski 858
MOZART 267
Mozart in his sixth year 272
Mozart in his ninth year 272
Mozart in his tenth year 273
Mozart in his 14th year 273
Mozart, Maria Anna 277
Mozart's wife 280
MOZART FAMILY, by Carmontelle 281
Mozart family, by de la Croce 283
Mozart, last portrait of 293
Mozart, profile portrait 297
Offenbach 754
Paderewski 859
PAGANINI 679
PAINE, JOHN KNOWLES 931
Paisiello, Giovanni 147
PALESTRINA, by Böttcher 25
Palestrina 27
Palestrina, by Schnorr 29
PARRY 899
Pergolese 44
Philidor 739
Piccini, Nicola 229
Prés, Josquin des 17
PURCELL 871
RAFF 497
RAMEAU 615
Rameau, by Nesle 617
Rameau, by Bellinger 618
Reber 752
Reichardt, Johann F 581
Reinecke, Carl 594
RHEINBERGER 525
Rheinberger, by Lützel 527
Rimsky-Korsakoff 854
Rore, Cyprian de 20
ROSSINI 49
ROSSINI IN MIDDLE LIFE 53
Rossini in his 36th year 54
ROSSINI, by Dupré 57
ROSSINI ON HIS DEATH-BED 59
ROSSINI, medallion 65
RUBINSTEIN 791
Rubinstein, by Downey 793
Rubinstein, silhouette 795
SAINT-SAËNS 703
SAINT-SAËNS, by Raschkow 705
SCARLATTI, A. 37
Scarlatti, A., by Solimène 38
Scarlatti, Domenico 150
SCHUBERT 349
Schütz, Heinrich 575
Schulz, Johann Peter 591
SCHUMANN 437
Schumann in his 21st year 442
SCHUMANN, CLARA, by Weger 443
Schumann, Robert and Clara 445
SCHUMANN, ROBERT AND CLARA, by Kaiser 453
Schumann, Clara, by Hanfstängl 457
SCHUMANN, ROBERT AND CLARA, relief medallion 461
Senfl, Ludwig 570
Seroff 851
SGAMBATI 111
Smithson, Miss 677
SPOHR, by Schlick 375
SPOHR, by W. Pfaff 379
SPONTINI 83
Spontini, by Vincent 84
Spontini, by Jean Guérin 85
STANFORD 907
STRAUSS, JOHANN (senior) 489
STRAUSS, JOHANN (junior) 487
STRAUSS, JOSEPH 491
Strauss, Richard 604
SULLIVAN 891
SULLIVAN 893
Suppé, Franz von 601
Svendsen 862
Swelinck 22
Tartini, Guiseppe 153
Tausig, Carl 857
THOMAS, AMBROISE 691
Thomas, Ambroise 695
TSCHAÏKOWSKY, by Sarony 803
TSCHAÏKOWSKY, by Shapiro 805
VERDI 115
Verdi, by Deblois 121
Volkmann, Friedrich Robert 595
Wagner's gondolier, Trevisan 544
WAGNER, by Krauss 531
Wagner's mother 536
WAGNER, by Herkomer 559
WAGNER 545
Wagner 551
Wagner from family group 555
Weber, Aloysia, and Jos. Lange 279
Weber, Constanze 280
WEBER 387
Weber in his 24th year 393
WEBER, by T. Minasi 395
Willaert, Adrian 19
Zelter, Carl Friedrich 591
CARICATURES.
Auber 655
Beethoven 329
Berlioz, by Benjamin 687
Berlioz, by Carjat 688
Donizetti 76
Halévy, by Dantan 667
Halévy, by Carjat 671
Handel 210
Kreisler, Kapellmeister 455
LISZT 827
Liszt, by Dantan 829
Meyerbeer, bust 476
Meyerbeer 478
Rossini, by Carjat 56
Rossini, bust 63
Rossini from "Panthéon Charivarique" 64
Strauss, Johann (senior) 492
Verdi 129
FAC-SIMILE MANUSCRIPTS.
AUBER, music 661
AUBER, letter 662
BACH, music 182
Bach, poem 192
Balfe, letter 889
Balfe, music 890
Beethoven's creed 329
BEETHOVEN, music 336
BELLINI, letter 73
Bellini, music 74
Bizet, music 702
BOIELDIEU, music 637
Brahms, music and letter 506
BRUCH, music 521
Cherubini, music 106
CHOPIN, music 775
Donizetti, music 774
Dvořák, music 81
FRANZ, music and letter 467
GADE, music and letter 841
Gade, musical autograph 842
GLUCK, music and letter 233
GOUNOD, music 727
GRÉTRY, music 629
Grieg, music 836
Halévy, music 669
Handel, music 211
HAYDN, music 261
HÉROLD, music and letter 651
LISZT, music and letter 825
Marschner, letter 411
MARSCHNER, music 413
Massenet, music 716
MÉHUL, music 643
MENDELSSOHN, letter 425
MENDELSSOHN, music 426
MEYERBEER, music and letter 483
Mozart, letter 290
MOZART, music 292
PERGOLESE, music 47
Purcell, music 873
Raff, letter 499
Raff, music 501
Rameau, music 621
RHEINBERGER, music 529
ROSSINI, music 61
RUBINSTEIN, letter 797
Rubinstein, music 800
SAINT-SAËNS, music 707
SCARLATTI, music 40
SCHUBERT, music 361
SCHUBERT, letter 371
Schumann, Clara, letter 449
Schumann, letter 449
SCHUMANN, music 450
Schumann, music 462
Sgambati, music and letter 113
SPOHR, letter 377
SPOHR, music 383
SPONTINI, music and letter 87
Strauss (junior), music 493
Strauss (senior), music 493
Sullivan, music 895
THOMAS, AMBROISE, music 693
TSCHAÏKOWSKY, music 807
VERDI, music 125
Verdi, letter 132
WAGNER, letter 547
WAGNER, music 548
WAGNER, humorous composition 561
Weber, letter 401
WEBER, music 407
BIRTHPLACES AND RESIDENCES.
Auber's residence 658
Bach's birthplace 167
Beethoven's birthplace 310
Beethoven, house where he died 323
Gluck's birthplace 221
Gounod's residence 725
Grétry's Hermitage 627
GRIEG'S country house 833
Handel's house 201
Haydn's birthplace 247
Mendelssohn's birthplace 418
Mendelssohn's residence 435
Mozart's birthplace 274
Mozart's residence in Vienna 287
Mozart, house where he died 289
Palestrina's birthplace 32
Schubert's birthplace 353
Schumann's birthplace 441
Verdi's birthplace 119
Verdi's residence 123
Wagner's birthplace 534
Wagner's residence, Villa Triebschen 537
Wagner's residence at Bayreuth 538
Wagner's residence at Venice 541
Weber's birthplace 391
MONUMENTS, STATUES, BUSTS, AND TOMBS.
Auber, bust 656
Auber's tomb 659
BACH, statue 169
Bach, monument 185
Balfe, tablet 887
BEETHOVEN'S tomb 325
BEETHOVEN, MONUMENT IN VIENNA 332
BEETHOVEN, MONUMENT IN VIENNA 339
Beethoven, bust 341
Beethoven, monument in Bonn 345
Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert, Tombs of 365
BELLINI, monument 69
Bellini, bust 70
BELLINI'S tomb 71
Bizet's tomb 699
Boieldieu, bust 634
Boieldieu's tomb 635
CHERUBINI, monument 99
Cherubini's tomb 101
Cherubini, bust 103
CHOPIN'S tomb 773
DONIZETTI, monument 79
Donizetti, bust 80
Glinka, bust 789
Gluck's grave 231
GLUCK, statue 237
GLUCK, MONUMENT 239
Grétry's tomb 626
Grétry's Memorial Chapel 627
HALÉVY'S TOMB 668
Handel, monument in Halle 197
HANDEL, statue in Vauxhall Gardens 205
HANDEL, bust 209
HANDEL, statue, Paris Opera House 213
HAYDN, bust 251
HAYDN, monument 253
Haydn's grave 259
HÉROLD, bust 647
HÉROLD'S TOMB 649
Lasso, statue in Munich 5
Mendelssohn, bust 433
MEYERBEER, bust 477
Meyerbeer, family tomb 481
MOZART, statue 285
MOZART, MONUMENT IN VIENNA 291
MOZART, MONUMENT IN SALZBURG 299
MOZART, MONUMENT IN VIENNA 301
Purcell, memorial tablet 875
RAMEAU, statue 619
SCHUBERT, MONUMENT 363
SCHUBERT'S TOMB 367
SCHUMANN, monument 447
Spontini, bust 88
VERDI, bust 127
WAGNER, bust 563
WEBER, monument 399
MISCELLANEOUS.
Animated Forge movement 566
Auber's Piano 657
Bach and Family 171
Bach before Frederick 181
Bayreuth Hill and Theatre 540
Beethoven and Mozart 313
Beethoven's Death Mask 327
Beethoven's Life Mask 327
Beethoven leading quartet 315
Beethoven's Studio 322
BERLIN OPERA HOUSE 585
CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC AT LEIPSIC 593
Frescos in Vienna Opera House.
from "Armide" 242
" "Barber of Seville" 66
" "Creation" 266
" "Fidelio" 348
" the "Huguenots" 486
" "Jessonda" 386
" Mozart's operas 306
" Schubert's "Domestic War" 374
" the "Water Carrier" 91
GARDEN OF HARMONY 737
Gewandhaus Concert Hall in Leipsic 607
Gounod directing 732
GRÉTRY'S CLAVICHORD 625
Grétry crossing the Styx 632
Guidonian hand 137
Handel Commemoration 215
Handel's harpsichord 216
Hannibal, Scene from 576
Huguenots, billboard 484
Liszt's library and music room 818
Liszt's organ room 819
LISZT PLAYING TO HIS FRIENDS 817
Memorial Chapel, Grétry 627
Mendelssohn's hand 436
Mozart's ear 295
Mozart's first composition 270
Mozart's piano and spinet 276
Mozart, room where he was born 275
OLD MARKET SQUARE, Dresden 397
OPERA HOUSE, Paris 749
Palazzo Vendramin 543
PANTHÉON MUSICAL 755
PANTHÉON OF GERMAN MUSICIANS 567
Pergolese medal by Mercandetti 45
Pergolese commemorative medal 48
Rossini's clay pipe 60
SALZBURG 271
SCHUBERT AND HIS FRIENDS 357
SPONTINI'S PIANO 90
Strauss (junior) leading orchestra 496
St. Thomas's School 177
SYNTAGMA MUSICUM, Title-page of 572
Triumph of Rameau 622
VIENNA OPERA HOUSE 606
WAGNER AND FRIENDS AT BAYREUTH 557
Wagner's studio 539
WEBER LEADING OPERA 405
Weber's coat-of-arms 408
[Illustration: ORLANDO LASSO
_Reproduction of an engraving by C. Debluis, after an old German print in the "Cabinet des estampes" in Paris. It bears the inscription, "Orlandus Lassus, musicus excellens."_]
[Illustration: LASSO]
[Illustration]
ORLANDO DI LASSO
Roland Delattre is generally known by the Italian form of his name, Orlando di Lasso. He was the last great light of the famous school of Netherlands masters who were the real founders of modern musical art. The history of Lasso's career is tolerably well known to us, owing to the existence of Vinchant's "Annals of Hainault" and a sketch by Van Quickelberg published in 1565 in a biographical dictionary called "Heroum Prosopographia." Although the former author was born in 1580, and Lasso died in 1594 or 1595, he places the date of the composer's birth ten years earlier than Van Quickelberg. Fétis gives plausible reasons for accepting Vinchant's date, yet it is probable that Van Quickelberg got his data directly from the composer, of whom he was an intimate friend.
At any rate, he was born in Mons in 1520 or 1530 and at the age of seven began his education. Like all musically gifted persons, he displayed his inclination toward the tone art at an early age, and in his ninth year he began the study of music. At that period music meant counterpoint and church singing. Hence Lasso, being endowed with a fine voice, began his career as a boy chorister in the church of St. Nicolas in his native town. There he became celebrated for the beauty of his voice and was twice stolen but recovered by his parents. The third time the little song-bird was carried off, he consented to remain with Ferdinand Gonzague, viceroy of Sicily and at that time commander of the army of Charles V. When the war was over the lad went with Ferdinand to Sicily and afterward to Milan. Van Quickelberg says that after six years his voice broke and at the age of eighteen he was sent by his patron under charge of Constantin Castriotto to Naples with letters of recommendation to the Marquis of Terza. He became a member of that nobleman's household and remained with him three years. At the end of that time he went to Rome, where he stayed six months as the guest of the archbishop of Florence. He was then appointed chapel-master of the famous church of St. John Lateran. While serving there he was informed of the sickness of his parents, and, probably being somewhat conscience stricken, set out for Mons, where he arrived after his father and mother were dead.
He returned to Rome and soon afterward paid a visit to France and England in company with a noble amateur of music called Julius Caeser Brancaccio. From France he went to Antwerp, where he stayed until he went to Munich in 1557 to enter the service of Albert of Bavaria. The doubt as to the date of his birth makes the length of his residence in Rome uncertain. He was there either two years or twelve, according as he was born in 1520 or 1530. The invitation to Munich seems to show that Lasso had acquired a European reputation as a composer. Such a reputation would naturally have been acquired during a long period of service in the Lateran church. If, however, Lasso did remain in Rome twelve years and produce works which gave him European celebrity, they are lost. Nevertheless even Van Quickelberg's testimony goes to show that Lasso's fame as a composer and as a man had preceded him to Munich. The Duke Albert directed him to engage a number of singers for the ducal choir and take them with him to Munich. Albert V. was a lover of art, and he is credited with being highly pleased at the engagement of Lasso. Quickelberg says that report in the Bavarian capital "was busy as to the character and disposition of the man. He was credited with being a great artist and a high-minded gentleman, and the Munich folk were not to be disappointed. The brilliant wit of the master, his amiability of temper, the cheerfulness of his disposition, and the universality of his knowledge, combined to make him a favorite with all. With the duke and the duchess he was especially intimate, and owing to their favor was admitted to the highest social gatherings. His introduction to the court nobility resulted in his marriage in 1558 with Regina Welkinger, a maid of honor attendant on the duchess." [Naumann, History of Music, p. 376.]
[Illustration: ALBRECHT V.
Reproduced from an ancient prayer book.]
It may be as well to add here that Lasso and his wife had six children, four sons and two daughters. Ferdinand and Rudolph, the eldest sons, became composers of some note. It was in 1562 that Lasso was made chapel-master to the Duke of Bavaria, thus attaining what was then esteemed as the highest prize in the musical world. He now had under his direction a fine body of singers and instrumentalists, for which a modern composer would have written not only masses, but cantatas and oratorios. We must bear in mind, however, that in Lasso's day church composers preferred the _a capella_ style, and the art of orchestral accompaniment, as we understand it now, was unknown. When instruments were used in conjunction with voices they simply doubled the voice parts. Hence Lasso's great compositions are all written for an unaccompanied choir. It appears that Lasso served for five years as chamber musician before being made chapel-master, because Ludwig Daser was not quite old enough to be retired from the higher post and because the Duke wished Lasso to learn the language before assuming the responsibility of the mastership. In 1562, as stated, Daser was retired, and, as Van Quickelberg tells us, "the Duke, seeing that Master Orlando had by this time learnt the language and gained the good will of all by the propriety and gentleness of his behavior, and that his compositions (in number infinite) were universally liked, without loss of time elected him master of the chapel, to the evident pleasure of all."