Scan 116
Groves Dictionary Of Music And Musicians,vol.1 Ed.3, 1904
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1it in the most perfect manner attainable. It was divided into two classes, one called the pianoforte and the other the violin class, and separate evenings were devoted to each kind of composition, special attention being bestowed on those least known to the public. Sivori attempted quartet-playing for the first time at these private concerts, which ultimately resulted in the series of chamber concerts given publicly in Harley Street in 1845 and 1846, and called the Beethoven Quartet Society, the whole being due to the enthusiasm, knowledge and munificence of Alsager.
3ALSCHER, JOSEPH, famous contrabass player who was considered a rival of Dragonetti, Müller of Darmstadt and Bottesini. He appeared with great success as a virtuoso on his instrument in Italy between 1830 and 1837: afterwards he toured in Germany, appearing among other places at Leipzig and Prague, where he appears to have finally settled (Fétis). Mendel speaks of him as still living in 1870. He employed the compass of his instrument up to the higher registers of the violoncello.
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7ALSHALABI, MOHAMMED (surnamed HISPALENSIS), early 15th-century Arabian musician. The library of the Escurial contains a MS. of his dated 1415: Opus de licito musicorum instrumentorum usu, musices censura et apologia inscriptum, eorum scilicet in primis, quae per ea tempora apud Arabos Hispanos obtinuere quaeque ad triginta et unum ibidem enumerat auctor diligentissimus, etc. Unfortunately this historically very important work has not yet been published.
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11ALSLEBEN, JULIUS (b. Berlin, Mar. 24, 1832; d. there, Dec. 8, 1894), studied orientalia at Berlin, took a degree at Kiel, then devoted himself entirely to music, studying under Leuchtenberg, Zech and S. Dehn. He was pianoforte teacher at Berlin; in 1865 president of the Berliner Tonkünstler-Verein; and in 1879 co-founder and president of the Musiklehrer-Verein. In 1872 he received the title of Professor. He was editor of the Harmonie for several years from 1874, and published 12 lectures on musical history (1862); Kleines Tonkünstler-Lexicon (1864); Ueber die Entwicklung des Klavierspiels (1870); Licht- und Wendepunkte in der Musik (1880).
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15ALSTEDT (ALSTEDIUS), JOHANN HEINRICH (b. Bellersbach, near Herborn, Nassau; d. Weissenburg, Transylvania). He became professor of theology and philology at Bellersbach. In his Enzyklopädie der gesammten Wissenschaften (1610) he deals largely with music, and the Elementale musicum, which forms part of his Elementale mathematicum (1611), was in 1664 translated into English by John Birchensha. The eighth part of his Methodus admirandorum mathematicorum (1613) treats also to a great extent of music.
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19ALT. The notes in the octave above the treble stave, beginning with the G, are said to be in alt, and those in the next octave in altissimo. (See Staveless Notation.)
21ALTE MEISTER, a collection of forty pieces of the 17th and 18th centuries, edited for the PF. by E. Pauer, published by Breitkopf & Härtel. References to this collection will be found among the writings of the older contributors to this Dictionary. It has now (1926) been superseded by more exhaustive collections.
23C.
25ALTENBURG, the name of two famous trumpet-players, father and son, of the 18th century.
27(1) JOHANN CASPAR (d. 1761) was in action at Malplaquet. After leaving the army he travelled in Europe and was so successful as a player that he refused an offer from Frederick Augustus of Poland to enter his service with a salary of 600 thalers. His son,
29(2) JOHANN ERNST (b. Weissenfels, 1736; d. Bitterfeld, May 14, 1801) was more celebrated than his father. He too adopted the military career, and was a field trumpeter in the army during the Seven Years' War. After the peace of Hubertsburg he became organist at Bitterfeld. He was the author of a book entitled Versuch einer Anleitung zur heroisch-musikalischen Trompeter- und Pauken-Kunst (Halle, 1795), which, though poor in style, is so complete in its treatment of the subject, as to be of the greatest interest in relation to trumpet music.
31F. G.
33ALTENBURG, MICHAEL (b. Alach, near Erfurt, May 27, 1584; d. Erfurt, Feb. 12, 1640), an eminent church musician.
35The son of a blacksmith, he studied theology at Halle in 1601, and was pastor at several places, finally at Erfurt. Of his chorale tunes, 'Macht auf die Thor der G'rechtigkeit' and 'Herr Gott nun schleuss den Himmel auf' are still used. But more important are the collections published by him, and his larger sacred works:
37'Christliche liebliche und andächtige neue Kirchen und Hausgesange,' for 6 to 9 voices, Erfurt, 1620-21, in 3 vols.; '16 Intraden in 8 parts for violins, lutes, organs, etc., Erfurt, 1620; also psalms, motets, cantiones, etc., for 4, 6, 8 or 9 voices.
39His writings combine simplicity with religious grandeur; and the congregational and choral singing of his various churches was renowned and regarded as a model.
41ALTERNATIVO, a term of frequent occurrence in suites and other compositions of the 17th and 18th centuries, having precisely the same meaning as the more modern word Trio, when that is used of the middle movement of a minuet or scherzo.
43M.
45ALTERS, GEORGES-JACQUES (b. Ghent, c. 1770; d. April 11, 1849), organist, carillonneur and choirmaster at St. Martin's, Ghent. His sacred compositions were very popular in their time.
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