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Scan 433
Grove's Dictionary of music and musicians, 1927
34 lines. Read by computer on 5 September 2026. Printed page 373. See the scan on archive.org.
1BEVINGTON & SONS
3ANTHEMS, Etc.
4'By mirth much sicknes' (a 3). Baldwin /183v.
5'Hear my crying, O God' (verse anthem). Harl. 6346/55 (words only).
6'I had both monye and a frende.' Baldwin /169v.
7'Lord, who shall dwell.' Baldwin /181v.
8'Praise the Lord and call.' R.C.M. 1048-51.
9'Remember . . .' (Canon, 20 parts in one). Add. MSS. 29,996/136.
11J. M.K.
13BEVINGTON & SONS, organ-builders in London. Henry Bevington, the founder of the house (1794), had been an apprentice to Ohrmann & Nutt, who were the successors of Snetzler. The business was subsequently carried on by Henry and Martin Bevington, sons of the founder, in Rose Street, Soho, in the same premises as were occupied by Ohrmann. The organs of St. Martin's in the Fields and of the Foundling Hospital in London, and that of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, were built by this firm.
15BEXFIELD, WILLIAM RICHARD, Mus.D. (b. Norwich, Apr. 27, 1824; d. London, Oct. 29, 1853), became a chorister of the cathedral under Dr. Buck.
17He was organist at Boston, Lincolnshire, graduated as Bachelor of Music at Oxford in 1846, and in Feb. 1848 was appointed organist of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate Street.
19On Sept. 22, 1852, his oratorio 'Israel Restored,' produced by the Norwich Choral Society in Oct. 1851, was performed at the Norwich Musical Festival. A set of organ fugues and a collection of anthems by him were published in 1849, besides his oratorio.
21W. H. H.
23BIANCA, OR THE BRAVO'S BRIDE, 'grand legendary opera' in 4 acts; words by Palgrave Simpson; music by Balfe; produced at Covent Garden, Dec. 6, 1860.
25BIANCHI, BIANCA (née SCHWARZ) (b. near Heidelberg, June 27, 1858), operatic soprano. She studied piano with Wilczek in Heidelberg; meanwhile, developing a beautiful voice, she was engaged under a ten years' contract by the Hamburg impresario, Pollini, who sent her to Paris to work with Mme. Viardot-Garcia. In 1873 she made her début at Carlsruhe, and in the following year at Covent Garden, where she sang for three seasons under Frederic Gye's management. She was a delightful artist, and best suited by light soprano parts, such as Susanna, which she frequently sang to the Contessa of Albani, the Cherubino of Scalchi, the Figaro of Cotogni, and the Almaviva of Faure. She held her own in the finest casts, and was always warmly commended, but scarcely had her full chance at a period when Patti was heading a company of great singers and rivalry was inevitable. One of her best parts was Mathilde in 'Guillaume Tell.' She also sang occasionally at the Covent Garden Promenade Concerts under A. & S. Gatti, to the latter of whom she was at one time affianced; ultimately, however, she married a son of Pollini, and, after a few more years on the German stage, took up teaching at Munich and Salzburg, where she lived after her retirement.
27H. K.
29BIANCHI, FRANCESCO (b. Cremona, c. 1752; d. Hammersmith, Nov. 27, 1810), an operatic composer of some eminence. In 1775 he was appointed maestro al cembalo to the Italian Opera in Paris under Piccinni, and there composed his first operas, 'La Réduction de Paris' and 'Le Mort marié.'
31In 1780 he produced 'Castore e Polluce' at Florence, with the English Storace as the prima donna. This successful opera was rapidly followed by many others (see Q.-L.). In 1783 he was made vice-conductor at S. Ambrogio in Milan, and held an important post at La Scala. From 1785-91 he was second organist at St. Mark's in Venice, in which city his 'Disertore Francese' was given. The hero (Pacchierotti) appeared in the uniform of a French soldier, which so scandalised the classic Venetians that they hissed the opera off the stage. Fortunately, however, the Duchess of Courland passing through Venice expressed a desire to hear it, and courtesy having compelled the audience to keep silence, the music so enchanted them that the objectionable costume was forgotten, and the opera obtained an exceptional success. Joseph II. offered to take Bianchi into his service, but died (1790) before the latter could reach Vienna.
33In 1793 Bianchi came to London, having been offered an engagement at the King's Theatre on account of the success of his 'Semiramide,' in which the famous Banti was prima donna. This engagement lasted for seven years. In the intervals of the London season he made short tours abroad, and in one of these composed his 'Inez de Castro' at Naples (1794) for Mrs. BILLINGTON'S (q.v.) first appearance on the Italian stage. Haydn's diary contains a favourable account of Bianchi's 'Acige e Galatea,' which he heard in London in 1794, but he considered the accompaniments too powerful for the voices. Haydn is also said to have kept one page in Bianchi's compositions turned down for reference when anything had ruffled his temper. Bianchi was conductor at the Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, in 1797-1800, and at Astley's, Dublin, from Nov. 1800 to May 1801. During that time his operas continued to be given in London, namely, 'Antigone' at the King's Theatre, May 24, 1796, 'Merope' in 1799, and 'Alzira' Feb. 28, 1801. In 1800 he married Miss Jackson, a singer, best known as Mrs. Bianchi Lacy—her name by her second marriage. From this time he was chiefly occupied in teaching till his death by his own hand at his house in Hammersmith. (See the Morning Chronicle of Nov. 29, and other papers of the same time, as well as the Gentleman's Magazine for Dec. 1810.) Bianchi composed about 20 operas and oratorios, besides instrumental music. He was also the author of a
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