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Scan 365
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians, 1904
16 lines. Read by computer on 7 September 2026. Printed page 328. See the scan on archive.org.
1Padua and placed himself for another year under his old master, at the end of which time he is said to have played with wonderful certainty and expression. After his return to Rome Tartini recommended Mr. Wiseman, his English friend, to Bini in the following words, which speak as highly for master as for scholar:—'Io lo mando a un mio scolare che suona più di me, e me ne glorio per essere un angelo di costume e religioso'—'I recommend him to a scholar who plays better than myself, and I am proud of it, as he is an angel in religion and morals.' [He was leader of the court band at Stuttgart in 1754; a violin sonata by him is in the Royal Library of Berlin, and a concerto in the collection of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde at Vienna.]
3E. H. D.
5BIONI, ANTONIO, born in Venice about 1698, a dramatic composer, pupil of Giovanni Porta, produced his first opera, 'Climène,' in 1721, his next, 'Udine,' 1722, and during the next nine years twenty-four more, of which 'Endimione' (1727) had the highest reputation. In 1726 he was conductor, and in 1730 director, of the Italian theatre at Breslau, in 1731 the Elector of Mayence appointed him his chamber-composer, and in 1733 he probably returned to Italy. He conducted the performance of his 'Girita' at Vienna in 1738 [and signed a dedication of a serenata for five voices from Vienna in 1739. A mass for four voices is at Dresden, an opera, 'Issipile,' and the serenata above mentioned at Vienna, and smaller works at Schwerin and Berlin (Quellen-Lexikon).] M. C. C.
7BIRCH, CHARLOTTE ANN, soprano singer, born about 1815, was musically educated at the Royal Academy of Music from 1831 to 1834, and by Sir George Smart. She appeared in public about 1834, confining herself at first to minor concerts. In 1836 she was engaged by the Sacred Harmonic Society, and soon took a good position as a concert singer. In 1838 she made her first appearance at the Three Choirs Festivals at Gloucester, and sang subsequently at Hereford in 1840 and 1846, at Gloucester in 1841, and at Worcester in 1842, and was engaged at the Birmingham Festival of 1840. In 1844 she visited Germany, and sang at Leipzig and other places. She returned to England in 1845, but quitted it again at the end of the season for Italy, where she essayed operatic singing. She reappeared in England early in 1846. On Dec. 20, 1847, she appeared on the English stage at Drury Lane in Balfe's 'Maid of Honour,' but did not succeed in establishing herself as an operatic singer. About 1856 increasing deafness compelled her to abandon the public exercise of her profession. Miss Birch possessed a beautiful soprano voice, rich, clear, and mellow, and was a good musician, but her extremely cold and inanimate manner and want of dramatic feeling greatly marred the effect of her singing. She died in London, Jan. 26, 1901. Her younger sister, ELIZA ANN, born about 1830, also a soprano singer and pupil of Sir George Smart, first appeared about 1844, and died March 26, 1857.
9W. H. H.
11BIRCHALL, ROBERT, music-publisher, etc., said to have been apprenticed to Randall, the successor of Walsh, established a musical circulating library about 1784, prior to which [in 1783] he had been associated in business with Beardmore and also with Andrews, successively at 129, 133, and 140 New Bond Street [being alone in the business at the latter addresses]. He managed the celebrated series of Antient Concerts and most of the Benefit Concerts of those days. [One of Birchall's earliest schemes was for a complete re-issue of Handel's works in 80 folio volumes (see proposals for printing these, dated 1783, and Burney's account of the Handel Commemoration, 1785). F. K.] Birchall published many of Beethoven's works, including the original English editions of 'The Battle Symphony,' dedicated to the Prince Regent, in 1816, the Sonata op. 96, the Trio op. 97, an adaptation for the pianoforte of Symphony No. 7—the copyrights of which he purchased from the composer. Beethoven's letters arranging for these, in queer English, and still queerer French, will be found in Nohl's two collections, Briefe, and Neue Briefe. After amassing a large fortune, Birchall died in 1819, and was succeeded by the firm named Birchall, Lonsdale, & Mills. [Christopher Lonsdale set up a separate business shortly before 1838 at 26 New Bond Street; Richard Mills, a nephew of Birchall, remained at the old address, the house which is now occupied by Messrs. W. E. Hill and Sons, the eminent violin dealers and experts. F. K.] Mr. Samuel Chappell, the founder of the well-known firm at 50 New Bond Street, was originally at Birchall's. The catalogue of the house contains the celebrated collections formed by Latrobe, Mozart's operas, and an immense collection of standard works by the greatest composers and performers of the day.
13R. E. L.
15BIRD, ARTHUR, an American composer and pianist, long resident in Germany; born at Cambridge, Mass., July 23, 1856. In his nineteenth year he went to Berlin to study theory and the pianoforte with Haupt, Loeschhorn, and Rohde. There he remained for two years. Upon his return to America in 1877, he became organist in the Kirk in Halifax, N.S., and also was active in spreading the knowledge of music as a teacher, and by founding the first male chorus in the province. In 1881 he returned to Berlin for further study, pursuing composition and orchestration with Heinrich Urban; he came also into close personal relations with Liszt in the last years of that master's life. In 1886 Mr. Bird gave his first concert in Berlin, where his talent and originality were at once cordially recognised. In that year he returned to America
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