Scan 291
Groves Dictionary Of Music And Musicians,vol.4, Ed.3, 1908
21 lines. Read by computer on 18 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1PREVOST
2The firm was first started 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 Novello were large purchasers at their sale of effects.
4The Preston publications include an interesting series of country dances begun 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.
6PRÉVOST, EUGÈNE PROSPER (b. Paris, Aug. 23, 1809; d. New Orleans, Aug. 30, 1872), studied harmony and counterpoint at the Conservatoire with Seuriot and Jelensperger, and composition with Lesueur; took the second Grand Prix de Rome 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 was 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.
8His son Léon, also a good conductor, recalled him to New Orleans, where he settled finally towards the end of 1867.
10PREYER, GOTTFRIED (b. Hausbrunn, Lower Austria, Mar. 15, 1807; d. Vienna, May 9, 1901), studied at Vienna with Sechter, became in 1835 organist of the Reformed Church, in 1844 supernumerary vice-Kapellmeister to the court, in 1846 court organist, in 1862 vice-Kapellmeister, and retired on a pension in 1876. From 1853 he was Kapellmeister of the cathedral. His connexion with the Conservatorium dates from 1838, when he became professor of harmony and counterpoint, and conductor of the pupils' concerts; from 1844–48 he directed the institution. The Tonkünstler-Societät performed his oratorio 'Noah' in 1842, 1845 and 1851. He printed a symphony, op. 16 (Diabelli); several masses and smaller church pieces; music for pianoforte and organ, choruses, and a large quantity of popular Lieder (chiefly Diabelli); 'Hymns for the Orthodox Greek Church,' in three vols., Vienna, 1847; a Mass for four male voices with organ, op. 76, etc.
12PRICE, JOHN, a 16th–17th-century English cornet- and viola bastarda-player. Mersenne in his Harmonie universelle calls him an excellent piccolo-player. In 1605 he was appointed at the court at Stuttgart, where in 1625 he had formed an English company together with John and David Morell (his brothers-in-law?) and John Dixon. On Apr. 23, 1629, he was appointed in the Dresden court chapel, and there formed, with the Elector's permission, the Little Chamber Music (Kleine Kammermusik). The war, however, drove him away, and he received his passport in 1633; but in 1634 his wife still wrote to the Elector for support (Q.-L.).
14PRICK-SONG, the name given by old English writers upon music to divisions or descant upon a Plain-song or Ground, which were written, or pricked, down, in contradistinction to those which were performed extemporaneously. (See Morley's Plaine and Easy Introduction, Second Part.) Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet, Act ii. Sc. 4) makes Mercutio describe Tybalt as one who
16'fights as you sing prick-song, keeps time, distance, and proportion; rests me his minim rest, one, two, and the third in your bosom.'
18The term 'pricking of musick bookes' was formerly employed to express the writing of them. Payments for so doing are frequently found in the accounts of cathedral and college choirs.
20PRIESTNALL, JOHN (b. Saddleworth, near Oldham, Nov. 1819; d. Rochdale, Jan. 18,
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