Books › Grove's dictionary of music and musicians;, 1904 › scan 108
Scan 108
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians;, 1904
14 lines. Read by computer on 10 September 2026. Printed page 100. See the scan on archive.org.
1As a composer he can hardly be said to show distinct individuality; his ideas are wanting in spontaneity, his themes are generally somewhat dry, and their treatment often rather diffuse and laboured. In fact Rietz was an excellent musician, and a musical intellect of the first rank—but not much of a poet. His great reputation rested, first, on his talent for conducting, and secondly on his rare acquirements as a musical scholar. An unfailing ear, imperturbable presence of mind, and great personal authority, made him one of the best conductors of modern times. The combination of practical musicianship with a natural inclination for critical research and a pre-eminently intellectual tendency of mind, made him a first-rate judge on questions of musical scholarship. After Mendelssohn and Schumann, Rietz probably did more than anybody else to purify the scores of the great masters from the numerous errors of text by which they were disfigured. He was an absolute and uncompromising adherent of the classical school, and had but little sympathy with modern music after Mendelssohn; and even in the works of Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms he was over-apt to see the weak points. As to the music of the newest German School, he held it in abhorrence, and would show his aversion on every occasion. He was, however, too much of an opera-conductor not to feel a certain interest in Wagner, and in preparing his operas would take a special pride and relish in overcoming the great and peculiar difficulties contained in Wagner's scores.
3Rietz had many personal friends, but, as will appear natural with a man of so pronounced a character and opinions, also a number of bitter enemies. He died at Dresden, Sept. 12, 1877, leaving a large and valuable musical library, which was sold by auction in Dec. 1877. Besides the works already mentioned he published a considerable number of compositions for the chamber, songs, concertos for violin and for various wind-instruments. He also wrote a great Mass.
5P. D.
7RIGADOON (French Rigadon or Rigaudon), a lively dance, which most probably came from Provence or Languedoc, although its popularity in England has caused some writers to suppose that it is of English origin. It was danced in France in the time of Louis XIII., but does not seem to have become popular in England until the end of the 17th century. According to Rousseau it derived its name from its inventor, one Rigaud, but others connect it with the English 'rig,' i.e. wanton or lively.
9The Rigadoon was remarkable for a peculiar jumping step (which is described at length in Compan's Dictionnaire de la Danse, Paris, 1802); this step survived the dance for some time. The music of the Rigadoon is in 2-4 or C time, and consists of three or four parts, of which the third is quite short. The number of bars is unequal, and the music generally begins on the third or fourth beat of the bar. The following example is from the third part of Henry Playford's 'Apollo's Banquet' (sixth edition, 1690). The same tune occurs in 'The Dancing Master,' but in that work the bars are incorrectly divided.
11W. B. S.
13RIGBY, GEORGE VERNON, born at Birmingham, Jan. 21, 1840, when about nine years old was a chorister of St. Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham, where he remained for about seven years. In 1860, his voice having changed to a tenor, he decided upon becoming a singer, tried his strength at some minor concerts in Birmingham and its neighbourhood, and succeeded so well that in 1861 he removed to London, and on March 4, appeared at the Alhambra, Leicester Square (then a concert room, managed by E. T. Smith), and in August following at Mellon's Promenade Concerts at Covent Garden. In 1865 he sang in the provinces as a member of H. Corri's Opera Company, until November, when he went to Italy and studied under Sangiovanni at Milan, where, in Nov. 1866, he appeared at the Carcano Theatre as the Fisherman in 'Guglielmo Tell.' He next went to Berlin, and in Jan. 1867 appeared at the Victoria Theatre there, in the principal tenor parts in 'Don Pasquale,' 'La Sonnambula,' and 'L'Italiana in Algieri.' He then accepted a three months' engagement in Denmark, and performed Almaviva in the 'Barbiere,' the Duke in 'Rigoletto,' and other parts, in Copenhagen and other towns. He returned to England in Sept. 1867, and sang at various places. In 1868 he was engaged at the Gloucester Festival with Sims Reeves, whose temporary indisposition afforded him the opportunity of singing the part of Samson in Handel's oratorio, in which he acquitted himself so ably that he was immediately engaged by the Sacred Harmonic Society, where he appeared, Nov. 27, 1868, with signal success, and immediately established himself as an oratorio singer, appearing at all the principal festivals. In 1869 he appeared on the stage of the Princess's Theatre as Acis in Handel's 'Acis
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.