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Scan 880
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians, 1916
14 lines. Read by computer on 7 September 2026. Printed page 812. See the scan on archive.org.
1for the Exhibition, gives a simple account of Pressenda's career.—B. – G. Rinaldi, Classica Fabricazione di Violini in Piemonte (Turin, 1873), followed by a German translation; Von Lütgendorff, Die Geigen und Lautenmacher; Chanot, Hodges v. Chanot, Criticisms and Remarks on the great Violin Case; Times, Standard, Daily Telegraph, and contemporary papers between Feb. and June 1882; Heron-Allen, Hodges against Chanot, being the History of a Celebrated Case. (London, 1883.) E. H-A.
3PRESTISSIMO, 'very quickly,' indicates the highest rate of speed used in music. It is used, like Presto, generally for the whole movement. Examples in Beethoven's sonatas are, op. 2, No. 1, and op. 53. It is used for the second movement of op. 109.
5PRESTO, 'fast,' indicates a rate of speed quicker than allegro, or any other sign except prestissimo. It is generally used at the beginning of movements, such movements being as a rule the last of the work, or the finale, as for instance Beethoven's sonatas, op. 10, No. 2; op. 27, No. 2; op. 31, No. 3. It is used as the first movement in the sonata, op. 10, No. 3, and in op. 79. When the time becomes faster in the middle of a movement, 'Più presto' is used, as for instance in Beethoven's Quartet in Eb (op. 74), third movement (Presto), where the direction for the part of the movement that serves as the trio is 'Più presto quasi prestissimo.' A curious instance of the use of this direction is in the pianoforte sonata of Schumann, op. 22, where the first movement is headed 'Il più presto possibile,' and in German below 'So rasch wie möglich.' At forty-one bars from the end of the movement comes 'Più mosso,' translated 'Schneller,' and again, twenty-five bars from the end, 'Ancora più mosso,' 'Noch schneller.'
7PRESTON & SON, a family of London music-publishers during the latter part of the 18th and the early portion of the 19th centuries. The firm was first commenced by John Preston, who in 1774 was established at 9 Banbury Court, Long Acre, as a musical instrument-maker. In 1776 he had removed to 105 Strand, near Beaufort Buildings, and was publishing some small and unimportant musical works. Two years later he was at 97 Strand, where the firm remained until 1823. John Preston's business after his removal to the Strand soon became one of the most important in the trade, and he issued a vast quantity of music of all kinds, buying, in 1789, the whole of the plates and stock-in-trade of Robert Bremner, who had then just died. About this time the son, Thomas, came into the business, and towards the end of the century John's name disappears. In 1823 Thomas Preston had left the Strand for 71 Dean Street, Soho, where he remained until about 1835, the business then becoming the property of Coventry & Hollier, who reissued some of the Preston publications. Shortly after 1850 Messrs. Novello were large purchasers at their sale of effects.
9The Preston publications include an interesting series of country dances commenced in 1786, and extending for nearly forty years after this date. Others are many of the popular operas of the day; such works as Bunting's 'Ancient Music of Ireland,' 1796; W. Linley's 'Shakespeare's Dramatic Songs,' J. S. Smith's 'Musica Antiqua,' etc. They were also the London publishers of George Thomson's Scottish, Irish, and Welsh collections.
11PRÉVOST, EUGÈNE PROSPER, born in Paris, August 23, 1809, studied harmony and counterpoint at the Conservatoire with Seuriot and Jelensperger, and composition with Lesueur; took the second Grand prix in 1829, and the Prix de Rome in 1831 for his cantata 'Bianca Capello.' Previous to this he had produced 'L'Hôtel des Princes,' and 'Le Grenadier de Wagram'—one-act pieces containing pretty music—both with success, at the Ambigu-Comique. On his return from Italy, 'Cosimo,' an opéra-bouffe in two acts, was well received at the Opéra-Comique, and followed by 'Le bon Garçon,' one act, of no remarkable merit. After his marriage with Eléonore Colon, Prévost left Paris to become conductor of the theatre at Havre. In 1838 he left Havre for New Orleans, where he remained twenty years. He was in great request as a singing-master, conducted the French theatre at New Orleans, and produced with marked success a mass for full orchestra, and several dramatic works, including 'Esmeralda,' which contained some striking music. None of these were engraved. When the American war broke out he returned to Paris, and became favourably known as a conductor. He directed the concerts of the Champs Elysées, and the fantasias which he arranged for them show great skill in orchestration. 'L'Illustre Gaspard' (1 act) was produced at the Opéra-Comique (Feb. 11, 1863), but the fellow-pupil of Berlioz, Reber, and A. Thomas, had virtually fallen out of the race. His son Léon, also a good conductor, recalled him to New Orleans, where he settled finally towards the end of 1867, and died August 30, 1872.
13PREYER, GOTTFRIED, born at Hausbrunn in Lower Austria, March 15, 1807. He studied at Vienna with Sechter, became in 1835 organist of the Reformed Church, in 1844 supernumerary vice-capellmeister to the court, in 1846 court-organist, in 1862 vice-capellmeister, and retired on a pension in 1876. From 1853 he was capellmeister of the Cathedral. His connection with the Conservatorium dates from 1838, when he became professor of harmony and counterpoint, and conductor of the pupils' concerts; from 1844 to 1848 he directed the institution. The Tonkünstler-Societät performed his oratorio 'Noah' in 1842, 1845, and 1851. He printed
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