Scan 62
The American History and Encyclopedia of Music, 1910
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1Meifred
2the Lower Alps. At the Paris Conservatory he studied under Dauprat, and was a professor from 1833 to 1865. He died in Paris, 1867. He perfected the valve-horn, on its introduction into France, and has written Méthode de chor chromatique, avec trois pistons; Méthode pour le cor a deux pistons; several horn duets; notice sur la fabrication des instruments de cuivre en général et sur celle du cor chromatique en particulier; and de l'entendue de l'emploi et des ressources du cor en général et de ses corps de recharge en particulier.
4Meinardus (mi-nar'-doos), Ludwig Siegfried. 1827-1896.
5Composer and writer; born at Hooksiel, educated in the Gymnasium at Jever. His parents wished him to study theology, but his musical ability was so pronounced that they finally consented to let him study music, and he began on the violoncello under the local teacher. In 1846 he entered the Leipsic Conservatory, leaving it after a year for private instruction from Riccius. In 1850 he went to Berlin to study with Marx, but for some reason the police would not allow him to remain, and he went to Liszt at Weimar. He conducted small theatrical orchestras at Erfurt and Nordhausen, and finally was established at Berlin in 1853. On completing his education he was made conductor of the Singakademie at Glogau, where he stayed until 1865, leaving to fill a position in the Dresden Conservatory. In 1874 he removed to Hamburg, where he worked as composer and critic on the Hamburger Korrespondent. In 1887 he became organist at Bielefeld, where he died in 1896. Among his compositions are Gideon, König Salomo, Simon Petrus, Luther in Worms; two operas, Doktor Sassafras, and Bahnesa; the ballads, Frau Hitt, Die Nonne, Jung Baldurs Sieg, and Rolands Schwanenlied; besides some chamber-music. He has written a memoir of Mattheson and some collected criticisms.
7Melba (měl'-bä), Nellie. 1859-
8Probably the foremost prima donna of her time. Her maiden name was Nellie Mitchell, and she was born in Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. Authorities differ as to the date of her birth. Her father was a Scotch conductor, who had been brought up strictly according to the principles of the Scotch Presbyterian Church; but he was fond of music, and is said to have played the violin and sung bass in the choir of his church. Her mother, who was of Spanish descent, was a good amateur pianist. Their daughter early showed her love of music, and when she was six sang at a charity concert in the Melbourne Town Hall. She was sent to the Presbyterian Ladies' College at Melbourne, where she studied composition and harmony and took lessons on piano, violin and organ, but gave no attention to her voice and held no hope of a public musical career because of her father's intense disapproval. In 1882 she married Captain Charles Armstrong, son of Sir Archibald Armstrong, of Kings County, Ireland. It was not until after her marriage that she abandoned the idea of a career as a pianist and turned to singing. She sang three months in the Catholic Church of St. Francis at Melbourne, and, when her father became Australian Commissioner at the Colonial Exhibition in London in 1886, she accompanied him, determined to study singing. Going to Paris, she sought an interview with Madame Marchesi, who, on hearing her marvelous voice, its silvery purity and its wonderful natural trill, called to her husband that at last she had found a star. For twelve months pupil and teacher worked earnestly and carefully, becoming life friends during that time, and at the end of this short period the famous teacher pronounced her pupil ready for an operatic debut. In honor of her native city, her stage name, Melba, was chosen, and on October 12, 1887, she made her debut at the Theatre de la Monnaie at Brussels as Gilda in Rigoletto. Her supremely beautiful voice brought immediate success, although she was quite without experience, especially as an actress. In 1888 she appeared in Lucia di Lammermoor in Covent Garden, with only moderate success, owing to her lack of stage experience. In the spring of 1889 she first sang at the Paris Opéra, making her debut as Ophélie in Ambroise Thomas' opera, Hamlet. She studied the roles of Marguerite and Juliette under Gounod himself, who took the greatest delight in her, and listened rapturously to her rendering
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