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Scan 126
Grove's Dictionary of music and musicians, 1910
12 lines. Read by computer on 12 September 2026. Printed page 94. See the scan on archive.org.
1his sojourn was a translation of Bacon's Advance-ment of Learning, which was published in Paris in 1624 (P. Billaine), under the title Le Progres et Avancement aux Sciences divines et humaines, dedicated to de Lomenie. Soon after this he became a creature of Cardinal Richelieu, useful to that prelate in the capacity of Secretary-Interpreter, in which capacity he served likewise in the Court of Louis XIII., and became a favourite butt of the courtier-wit Bois-Robert, whom he distinguished by a hatred which, though impotent, has passed into history. His political satires, etc., and the story of his various quarrels, may be read in the authorities referred to below. All that we know of his death is the record of Tallemant to the effect that he 'returned to France and died a few years later. On his death-bed he sent to ask forgiveness of his old enemy Bois-Robert.' To this period belongs his pamphlet, reprinted by M. Thoinan, Response faite à un curieux sur le sentiment de la Musique d'Italie, écrite à Rome le premier Octobre 1639.
3As a violist he was classed by Mersennus with Hottman (De Instr. Harm. lib. 1. prop. 30), and his eulogy is similarly expressed by Jean Rousseau in his Traité de la Viole. His compositions, which must have been significant, appear wholly lost to posterity, but he himself lauds their excellence with no uncertain voice. P. Saint-Glas, Divers Traitez d'Histoire de Morale et d'Eloquence (Paris, 1672). L'Abbé Bordelon's Les Malades de Belle Humeur ou lettres divertissantes, etc. (Paris, 1697), reprinted in vol. viii. of Diversitez Curieuses (Paris, 1700). Tallemant des Réaux, Les Historiettes pour servir à l'histoire du XVII siècle. The notice in Fétis (Biog. des Mus.) is inaccurate and incomplete.
5E. H.A.
7MAUREL, VICTOR, born at Marseilles, June 17, 1848, received instruction at the Paris Conservatoire in singing from Vauthrot, and in opera from Duvernoy, and gained the first prizes in both subjects, co-equal with Gailhard, in 1867. He made his débuts at the Opéra as De Nevers and Conte di Luna in 1868. He was next in Italy, where he played the Cacique on the production of Gomes's 'Guarany' at Milan, March 19, 1870. He made his début at the Royal Italian Opera, London, as Renato, April 21, 1873, made a great success, and was engaged there every year until 1879 inclusive. His parts comprised Don Giovanni, Tell, Almaviva, Hoel, Peter the Great, Valentine, Hamlet, the Cacique; in operas new to England, Telramund, May 8, 1875; Wolfram, May 6, 1876; the Flying Dutchman, June 16, 1877, and Domingo in Massé's 'Paul et Virginie,' June 1, 1878. He reappeared at the French Opéra as Hamlet, Nov. 28, 1879, and also played Amonasro on the production in Paris of 'Aida,' March 22, 1880. After a tour in Spain, he undertook, in 1883, the management with Corti of the Italian Opera at the Théâtre des Nations (now the Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt), with disastrous financial results, in spite of a company including Mesdames Marimon, Adler-Dévriès, Nevada, and Tremelli, Gayarré, the brothers De Reszke, and himself, and the successful production of Massenet's 'Hérodiade,' Feb. 1, 1884. He played at the Opéra-Comique, Peter, Oct. 6, 1885, Falstaff in Thomas's 'Songe d'une Nuit d'Été,' and Zampa, Jan. 19, 1886, with great success. He played again at Covent Garden in 1886, and at Drury Lane for the first time in 1887 in favourite parts. Between these engagements he created, with the greatest success, Iago in Verdi's 'Otello,' Milan, Feb. 5, 1887, and showed himself the best acting baritone on the Italian stage since Faure. [He introduced this fine impersonation to the English public at the Lyceum Theatre on July 5, 1889, and on Feb. 9, 1893, created the part of Falstaff in Verdi's last opera at Milan. Both these parts were sung by him for the first time in Paris in 1894, the latter first in London on June 10, 1895. In 1896 he returned to the Opéra-Comique, where he created the part of Mathias in Erlanger's 'Juif Polonais,' April 11, 1900. For a short time after that he appeared as an actor at non-musical theatres, but returned to the operatic stage and reappeared in London in the part of Rigoletto on Nov. 15, 1904. His Dix ans de carrière (1897) was translated into German by Mme. Lilli Lehmann.]
9A. C.
11MAURER, LUDWIG WILHELM, distinguished violinist, born Feb. 8, 1789, in Potsdam, pupil of Haak, Concertmeister to Frederick the Great. At thirteen he appeared with great success at a concert given in Berlin by Mara, and was in consequence admitted to the royal chapel as a probationer. After the battle of Jena (1806) the chapel was dismissed, and Maurer travelled, first to Königsberg and Riga, where he made the acquaintance of Rode and Baillot, and then to Mittau and St. Petersburg, his playing being everywhere appreciated. At Moscow he again met Baillot, through whose good offices he became capellmeister to the Chancellor Wsowologsky, who had a private orchestra. Here he remained till 1817, when he made another successful tour, being particularly well received in Berlin and Paris. In 1832 he returned to Wsowologsky, and stayed till 1845, when after another tour he settled finally in Dresden. The best known of his compositions are a Symphonie concertante for four violins and orchestra, first played in Paris by himself, Spohr, Müller, and Wich in 1838; and three Russian airs with variations (op. 14). Of his operas 'Alonzo' (c. 1830), 'Aloise' (1838), 'Der entdeckte Diebstahl,' and 'Der neue Paris,' the overtures only have been printed. He also published several concertos—one of which was at one time very often played at the Philharmonic Concerts in London—and two collections of quartets (opp. 17 and 26). He
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