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Scan 156
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians, 1920
44 lines. Read by computer on 11 September 2026. Printed page 140. See the scan on archive.org.
1BOSTON SINGING CLUB, THE. See Vol. i. 369.
3BOSTON STRING QUARTET, THE, was a chamber-group maintained in 1915–19 by players in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It consisted of Sylvain Noack and Otto Rath, violins, Emil Ferir, viola, and Alwin Schroeder, 'cello.
5BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, THE. See Vol. iv. 800–1. The supreme excellence of the Orchestra has been steadily maintained and its commanding influence widened and intensified. The character of the programs and of their interpretation has naturally varied somewhat with changing conductors, but the liberal and catholic policy of attention to the whole range of orchestral literature has been constant. Dr. Muck's first incumbency as conductor, on leave from Berlin, covered the seasons of 1906–08. From 1908 to 1912 he was followed by Max Fiedler. In 1912 Muck returned as permanent conductor, but in March, 1918, he was arrested as an enemy alien and in 1919 was sent out of the country. The conductor for 1918–19 was the French composer Henri Rabaud, and since 1919 Pierre Monteux (who had also led some performances in 1918 before Rabaud's arrival). In 1918 Witek resigned as concertmaster and was followed for one season by Fredric Fradkin, whose appointment was notable in view of his American birth. The stress connected with the removal of Muck in 1918 led to a reorganization of the management of the Orchestra, Major Higginson retiring from active direction, though without ceasing his hearty support, and the control passed into the hands of a strong Board of Directors. In 1919 Major Higginson died. It is commonly understood that his endowment of the Orchestra amounts to about $1,000,000. Since 1901 the program-books of the concerts have been prepared by Philip Hale. They form an extraordinary library of historical and critical information, set forth with force and much literary dexterity. See Howe, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, 1914.
7BOSTONIANS, THE, were a troupe formed in 1887 for the giving of light opera. Its leaders were Henry C. Barnabee, Tom Karl and W. H. Macdonald, and the company derived many of its members and its initial prestige from the previous Boston Ideal Opera Company. The latter troupe had set a fine standard for artistic finish and the new company carried it still higher. The organization continued for about twenty-five years with remarkable success, bringing out a long list of graceful or comic works and introducing a notable succession of effective singers. See Barnabee, My Wanderings, and also the résumé of works and singers in The Art of Music, iv. 175–7.
9BOUGHTON
11BOTT, JEAN JOSEPH (1826–1895). See Register, 7.
12BOTTA, LUCA (1882–1917). See Register, 10.
13BOUCHER, A. See Register, 3.
14BOUSDOSQUIÉ. See Register, 4.
15†BOUGHTON, RUTLAND (1878, England), was a pupil of Stanford at the Royal College of Music, where he studied in 1900–01. In 1904–11 he taught singing at the Birmingham School of Music. When the World War broke out he tried to enlist, but was declined at first for physical reasons. In the belief that artistic effort had value for quickening national spirit, he started in August, 1914, a series of musico-dramatic festivals at Glastonbury in Somerset, aiming at first only to bring out a cycle of music-dramas on Arthurian subjects by the late Reginald R. Buckley and himself. In spite of some checks and interruptions, the enterprise has gone on and expanded until now it has enthusiastic support from a large circle of musical and literary people and there is prospect of the erection of a special theater for the plays. Up to 1919 there had been 79 performances, of which 47 were operatic. Five were premières of dramas by English composers. Boughton's compositions include the following:
17Stage-works—
18'The Immortal Hour,' choral drama, libretto by Fiona MacLeod.
19'The Birth of Arthur,' choral drama, libretto by Buckley; and 'The Round Table,' choral drama, libretto by Buckley — these forming the cycle 'Arthur of Britain.'
20'Bethlehem,' based on the Coventry Nativity-Play.
21'The Death of Columbine,' opera-ballet in one act, text by Bostock.
22'Dawn at Agincourt,' dramatic scene, text from Shakespeare.
23'The Moon-Maiden,' choral ballet.
24'The Death-Dance of Graine,' ballet.
25'Snow-White,' ballet, scenario by Margaret Morris.
27Choral works with orchestra—
28'Sir Galahad,' choral march, text from Tennyson.
29'The Skeleton in Armor,' symphonic poem, text from Longfellow.
30'The Invincible Armada,' symphonic poem, text from Schiller-Lytton.
31'Midnight,' symphonic poem, text by Edward Carpenter.
32'A Song of Liberty,' text by Helen Bantock.
34Choral works unaccompanied—
35Five sets of Choral Variations on English Folk-Songs (Reeves).
36'The City,' motet, text by Henry Bryan Binns.
38Chamber and orchestral works—
39'The Chapel of Lyonesse,' for piano, string-quartet and three solo voices, text by William Morris.
40'A Celtic Prelude,' for piano, violin and 'cello.
41'March of the British,' for orchestra (Reeves).
42Three Folk-Dances for strings (Curwen).
43Also several smaller choral works.
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