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Scan 203
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians;, 1904
12 lines. Read by computer on 7 September 2026. Printed page 192. See the scan on archive.org.
1(See Jahn's List, Nos. 44, 45, 46, 122; Anhang 2, No. 27.)
2RÜCKAUF, ANTON, was born March 13, 1855, at Prague, and died Sept. 19, 1903, at Schloss Alt-Erlaa. He was a pupil of Proksch, and studied at the same time at the Prague Organ School, taught for a time at Proksch's Institute till he went, at the expense of the state, to further his studies in Vienna, where, advised by Brahms, he learnt counterpoint with Nottebohm and with Nawratil when Nottebohm died. His connection with Gustav Walter, whose permanent accompanist he was, had a great influence over his development as a composer of songs, and having been an excellent pianist himself, he belongs unquestionably to the comparatively small number of modern song-writers, who give equal expression and effect to the formation of the voice-part and accompaniment. His compositions are of various sorts, including songs, 'Balladen,' settings to five Minnelieder of Walter von der Vogelweide, gipsy songs, duets, choral songs with PF. accompaniment and also a cappella, besides a violin sonata (op. 7), a PF. quintet (op. 13), some piano solos and duets, and an opera, 'Die Rosenthalerin,' which was produced at Dresden in 1897, and attracted a considerable amount of attention.
3H. V. H.
4RUFFO, VINCENZO, a member of a noble Veronese family, who flourished as a composer in the 16th century. His name is included by Biani in his list of the 'good musicians' of his fourth epoch. Unless a five-part magnificat, stated to have been published at Venice in 1539, and to exist at Lüneburg, be a genuine work, his first publication would seem to be a book of motets dated 1542, where he is described as 'musico' (i.e. castrato) in the service of the Marchese Alfonso d'Avalli. In 1554 he became maestro di cappella at the cathedral of Verona, and in 1563 was appointed to a similar post at the cathedral of Milan. In 1574-79 he was at Pistoia in the same capacity, and in 1580 we find him again at Milan. His last publication, a book of masses, dated 1592, contains no mention of any official post, and it is argued that he therefore held none in his latest years. The other masses appeared in 1557, 1574, and 1580; motets in 1542, 1555, and 1583, settings of the magnificat in 1578, and psalms a 5 in 1574. His madrigals were published in 1545, 1554, 1555, 1556, and 1560. The psalms and a mass were written for his patron Saint Carlo Borromeo in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent. An Adoramus is printed by Lück, and a madrigal, 'See from his ocean bed,' edited by Oliphant, is in Hullah's Part Music. Torchi, in his 'Arte Musicale in Italia,' vol. i., gives two movements from masses, a motet, and two madrigals. The libraries of Christ Church, Oxford, and the Royal College of Music, contain specimens of his works in MS., and for others the article in the Quellen-Lexikon and an interesting monograph by Luigi Torri in the Riv. Mus. Ital. iii. 635, and iv. 233, should be consulted.
5M.
6RUGGIERI, the name of a celebrated family of violin-makers, who flourished at Cremona and Brescia. The eldest was FRANCESCO, commonly known as 'Ruggieri il Per' (the father), whose instruments date from 1668 to 1720 or thereabouts. JOHN BAPTIST (1700-1725) and PETER (1700-20), who form the second generation of the family, were probably his sons; and John Baptist (called 'il buono'), who was indisputably the best maker in the family, claims to have been a pupil of Nicholas Amati. Besides these, we hear of GUIDO and VINCENZO Ruggieri, both of Cremona, early in the 18th century. The instruments of the Ruggieri, though differing widely among themselves, bear a general resemblance to those of the Amati family. They rank high among the works of the second-rate makers, and are often passed off as Amatis.
7E. J. P.
8RUINS OF ATHENS, THE. A dramatic piece (Nachspiel) written by Kotzebue, and composed by Beethoven (op. 113), for the opening of a new theatre at Pesth, Feb. 9, 1812, when it was preceded in the ceremony by 'King Stephen' (op. 117). It contains an overture and eight numbers, and was probably composed late in 1811. The 'Marcia alla turca,' No. 4, is founded on the theme of the Variations in D, op. 76, which was composed two years earlier. The March and Chorus, No. 6, were used in 1822, with the Overture, op. 124, for the opening of the Josephstadt Theatre, Vienna. The Overture to 'The Ruins of Athens' and the Turkish March were published in 1823, but the rest of the music remained in MS. till 1846.
9G.
10RULE, BRITANNIA! The music of this 'ode in honour of Great Britain,' which, according to Southey, 'will be the political hymn of this country as long as she maintains her political power,' was composed by Arne for his masque of 'Alfred' (the words by Thomson and Mallet), and first performed at Cliefden House, Maidenhead, August 1, 1740. Cliefden was then the residence of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and the occasion was to commemorate the accession of George I., and the birthday of Princess Augusta. The masque was repeated on the following night, and published by Millar, August 19, 1740.
11Dr. Arne afterwards altered the masque into an opera [and it was so performed at the Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, on March 10, 1744. In the advertisement it is announced that 'Alfred' will conclude with a 'favourable Ode in honour of Great Britain, beginning "When Britain first at Heaven's command."'] It was not heard in London till March 20, 1745, when it was given at Drury Lane for the benefit
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