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Scan 1007
Baker's biographical dictionary of musicians, 1919
13 lines. Read by computer on 4 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 986. See the scan on archive.org.
11790, and to the newly erected Théâtre Feydeau, where the Revolution ruined their enterprise. V., obliged to recommence his virtuoso-career, went to London, and gave a series of most successful concerts at the Hanover Square Rooms; but a rumor gained credence that he was an emissary of the revolutionists, and he thought it advisable to leave England, retiring to Hamburg until 1794, when he resumed concert-giving in London; was manager of the Italian Opera in the ensuing winter, and director of the Opera Concerts in 1795. Ill success caused him to embark in the wine-trade. On a visit to Paris in 1802, he was persuaded to play before Cherubini and others, and, to their astonishment, outrivalled his earlier performances. He finally settled in Paris as Director of the Opéra from 1819–22, when he resigned with a pension of 6000 francs; he died while on a pleasure-trip.—On account of his influence as a player and teacher (especially through his two pupils Rode and Baillot), and the breadth and dignity of his works, V. has been styled 'the father of modern violin-playing.' His compositions, more particularly of the maturer period, show great refinement and skill in workmanship, and are classics of violin-literature; he was the first to write violin-concertos in the broad modern sonata-form, and displaying the full resources of the orchestra. He publ. 29 violin-concertos (No. 22, in A m., is still a favorite), 2 Concertantes f. 2 violins, 21 string-quartets, 21 trios f. 2 violins and viola, 51 violin-duos (many interesting and valuable), 18 sonatas with bass, 3 Divertissements (Nocturnes) f. pf. and violin, and a pf.-sonata.—Cf. F. Fayolle, Notices sur Corelli … et Viotti (Paris, 1810); F. Baillot, Notice sur V. (ib., 1825); E. F. Miel, Notice historique (1827); A. Pougin, V. et l'école moderne du violon (Paris, 1888).—See also Q.-Lex.
3Vir'dung, Sebastian, priest and organist at Basel, wrote the historically important illustrated work Musica getutscht und ausz gezogen durch Sebastianum Virdung, Priester von Amberg, um alles Gesang aus den Noten in die Tabulaturen diser benannten dreye Instrumente der Orgeln, der Lauten und der Flöten transferiren zu lernen … (1511; facsimile reprint by Breitkopf & Härtel, 1882). Four of his songs are in Schöffer's 'Teutsche Lieder mit 4 Stimmen' (1513).—Cf. B. A. Wallner, S. V. von Amberg, in 'Kchm. Jahrb.' (1911).
5Viset'ti, Alberto Antonio, born Spalato, Dalmatia, May 13, 1846. Pupil of Mazzucato at Milan Cons., 1855–65. Concert-pianist at Nice; then proceeded to Paris, became Auber's friend, and was app. conductor to Empress Eugénie. On the fall of the empire he hastened to London, where he became director of the vocal department in the N. S. M.; 1878–90, cond. of the Bath Ph. Soc.; now (1918) prof. of singing at the C. M. and G. S. M. (among his pupils Louise Kirkby-Lunn and Agnes Nicholl made Knight of the Crown of Italy in 1891. The score of an opera, Les trois Mousquetaire, was barely completed, when it was burnt during the siege of Paris (1871). Also wrote a cantata, The Desert and the Praise of S. pf.-pcs. and songs (La Diva, waltz-song for Mme. Patti). Publ. a History of the Art of Singing and G. Verdi (1905); also Italian translations of Hullah's History of Modern Music, and Hueffer's Musical Studies.
7Vita'ti, Giovanni Battista, b. Cremona, c. 1644; d. Modena, Oct. 12, 1692, as maestro di capp. to the Duke (from 1671). Important instrl. comp., preceding Corelli.—See Q.-Lex.
9Vitto'ria, Ludovico Tommaso da [or Luis Tomás de Victoria], eminent contemporary and friend of Palestrina; born Avila, Spain, c. 1540; d. Madrid (?), c. 1613. Pupil in youth of Escobedo and Morales, singers in the Papal Chapel at Rome; in 1573, maestro at the Collegium Germanicum; in 1575, at San Apollinare; from 1589–1602, vice-maestro of the Royal Chapel, Madrid.—Publ. works Liber primus, qui missas, psalms, Magnificat ad Virginem Dei Matrem salutationes aliaque completitur, a 6–8 (1576); Magnificats a 4, w. 4 antiphones to the Virgin a 5–8 (1581); Hymni totius anni a 4, w. 4 psalms a 8 (1581–1600); masses a 4–8 (2 vols.: 1583; 1590); Officium hebdomadae sanctae (1585); Motetti festorum totius anni cum communi sanctorum a 5–8 (1585; often republ.; an ed. of 1585 has motets a 12); and his famous requiem for the Empress Maria, Officium defunctorum sex vocibus (1605).—In Proske's 'Musica divina' are many numbers by V.; Eslava's 'Lira Sacro-Hispana' contains the Requiem and several other works. V.'s complete works in 8 vols., ed. by Felipe Pedrell, were publ. by Breitkopf & Härtel (1902–13).—Cf. H. Collet, Le Mysticisme musical espagnol au XVIe siècle (Paris, 1913); id., V. (ib., 1914; in 'Maitres de la Musique'). one of two readings
10Vitto'ria, Ludovico Tommaso da [or Luis Tomás de Victoria], eminent contemporary and friend of Palestrina; born Avila, Spain, c. 1540; d. Madrid (?), c. 1613. Pupil in youth of Escobedo and Morales, singers in the Papal Chapel at Rome; in 1573, maestro at the Collegium Germanicum; in 1575, at San Apollinare; from 1589–1602, vice-maestro of the Royal Chapel, Madrid.—Publ. works Liber primus, qui missas, psalms, Magnificat ad Virginem Dei Matrem salutationes aliaque completitur, a 6–8 (1576); Magnificats a 4, w. 4 antiphones to the Virgin a 5–8 (1581); Hymni totius anni a 4, w. 4 psalms a 8 (1581; 1600); masses a 4–8 (2 vols.: 1583; 1590); Officium hebdomadae sanctae (1585); Motetti festorum totius anni cum communi sanctorum a 5–8 (1585; often republ.; an ed. of 1585 has motets a 12); and his famous requiem for the Empress Maria, Officium defunctorum sex vocibus (1605).—In Proske's 'Musica divina' are many numbers by V.; Eslava's 'Lira Sacro-Hispana' contains the Requiem and several other works. V.'s complete works in 8 vols., ed. by Felipe Pedrell, were publ. by Breitkopf & Härtel (1902–13).—Cf. H. Collet, Le Mysticisme musical espagnol au XVIe siècle (Paris, 1913); id., V. (ib., 1914; in 'Maitres de la Musique'). one of two readings
12Vival'di, Abbate Antonio, celebrated violinist; born Venice, about 1675; d. there 1743. The son, and probably the pupil, of a violinist at San Marco, he early entered the priesthood, and was surnamed 'il prete rosso' on account of his red hair. After a period in the service of the Electoral court at Darmstadt, he returned to Venice in 1713, and became director for life of the Cons. della Pietà. Some of his sonatas and concertos for violin are still prized; the form of his concertos served Bach as a model for his concertos for clavichord and orch., and exerted a strong in-
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