Scan 37
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians;, 1904
14 lines. Read by computer on 5 September 2026. Printed page 24. See the scan on archive.org.
1been the Mrs. Ferrabosco whom Pepys thought of engaging as gentlewoman for his wife, who 'sings most admirably' (Diary, Sept. 4, 1664). She was afterwards in the suite of the Duchess of Newcastle (Diary, May 30, 1667). Henry Ferrabosco may be identified with the Captain Henry Ferribosco who took part in the expedition to Jamaica where he was killed. The committee appointed to report on arrears of pay, etc., due to relatives of those who fought there recommend (June 10, 1658) that a sum of £240 should be paid 'for five small children of Capt. Henry Ferribosco, lately slayne by the Enemy in Jamaica, his wife being also dead since his departure from England.' His place as Musician was filled by Thomas Bates at the Restoration.
2G. E. P. A.
4FERRABOSCO, JOHN, was probably the son of Alfonso (II), who was baptized at Greenwich, Oct. 9, 1626. There is a warrant dated Jan. 17, 1631, for delivery of Chamlett and other necessaries yearly to John Ferrabosco, one of His Majesty's Musicians for the wind instruments, in the room of Henry Ferrabosco, during His Majesty's pleasure. As Henry was still holding his place as Musician for the Wind Instruments in 1634, this must have been a temporary arrangement, made solely with a view to providing for the child of a favourite musician; it is possible, however, that there were two musicians of this name. John Ferrabosco was appointed organist of Ely Cathedral in 1662; many anthems and services by him still exist there in MS. In 1671 he took the degree of Mus.B. at Cambridge 'per literas regias' (Dickson's Catalogue of Music at Ely). The registers of Trinity Church, Ely, show that he married Anne Burton on June 28, 1679; their child John was baptized in the following August, and was buried May 8, 1682; John Ferrabosco himself was buried Oct. 15, 1682. G. E. P. A.
6FERRARA. The earliest and best-known musical academy in Ferrara was that of the 'Intrepidi,' founded in 1600 by Giambattista Aleotti d'Argenta for dramatic musical representations. The magistrates of the city allowed the academicians 100 scudi a year for public celebrations in their theatre. Previous to the founding of this academy, Ferrara could boast one of the most magnificent theatres of Italy, opened in 1484 by Ercole I., Duke of Ferrara, in which were celebrated the 'Feste Musicali,' those earliest forms of the musical drama universal in Italy in the 15th century. While the 'Orfeo' of Poliziano was represented at Mantua, the theatre of Ferrara witnessed the 'Cefalo' of Niccolò da Correggio, the 'Feast of Anfitrione and Sosia,' and others. The 'Intrepidi' in 1607 represented with great pomp the Pastorale called 'La Filla di Sciro' by Guidubaldo Bonarelli.
8Frescobaldi was a native of Ferrara, and made his studies there.
9C. M. P.
11FERRARESE DEL BENE, the sobriquet of Francesca Gabrielli, an Italian singer, native of Ferrara. When Burney was in Venice, in August 1770, he heard at the Ospedaletto an orphan girl la Ferrarese with an 'extraordinary compass' and a 'fair natural voice.' She sang in London from 1784 to 1787 in Cherubini's 'Giulio Sabino' and other parts, but without much success. In 1789 she was prima donna in Vienna. Mozart wrote for her the Rondo 'Al desio,' introduced into the part of the Countess in 'Figaro' on its revival August 1789, and she played Fiordiligi in 'Così fan tutte' at its production, Jan. 26, 1790. Mozart did not think much of her, for in speaking of Allegrandi he says, 'she is much better than the Ferrarese, though that is not saying a great deal.' She probably owed her good fortune to her pretty eyes and mouth, and to her intrigue with da Ponte, with whom she lived as his mistress for three years. In the end she quarrelled with the other singers, and was sent from Vienna by the Emperor. G.
13FERRARI, BENEDETTO, called 'dalla Tiorba,' an Italian musician, and composer of words and music for the species of Italian dramas called 'dramme per musica,' was born at Reggio about 1597; [as according to a portrait prefixed to his 'Andromeda' (printed 1637) he was forty years old at that time.] From a letter, now in the archives of Modena, written by him to the Duke of Modena in 1623, we learn that his reputation as a musician, and especially as a player on the theorbo, was by that time considerable. It was largely owing to him that the 'dramma musicale' took such deep root in Italy and Germany, and herein lies his chief interest for us. His opera 'Andromeda,' set to music by Manelli and brought out at the Teatro San Cassiano at Venice in 1637, was the first opera performed before a mixed audience. In 1639 followed his 'Adone,' set by Monteverde, and 'Armida,' of which he wrote both words and music. Its success induced Ferrari to devote himself more to composition than before. He remained in Venice till 1645, when he [was in the Court band at Modena: in 1651 he] was invited to Vienna by the Emperor Ferdinand, and remained in his service till 1653. A ballet by him was performed at the Diet of Ratisbon in 1653. In the same year he was appointed maestro di cappella to Duke Alfonso of Modena, on whose death in 1662 he was dismissed, but he was reappointed in 1674, and died in possession of the post Oct. 22, 1681. His librettos were collected and printed at Milan and Piacenza, and passed through several editions; none of these collections, however, are complete. The library at Modena contains several of his MSS., including the ballet 'Dafne in alloro' (Vienna, 1651). [This is not mentioned in the Quellen-Lexikon as still extant, but an oratorio 'Sansone' is noted as at Modena.] We have not sufficient materials to form any opinion on the style of his music. He published at Venice in 1633,
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