Scan 61
The American history and encyclopedia of music, 1910
12 lines. Read by computer on 8 September 2026. Printed page 41. See the scan on archive.org.
1Mees
2company and, after 1896, assistant conductor of the Chicago Orchestra under Theodore Thomas and of the Chicago Orchestra chorus. He also conducted the New York Mendelssohn Glee Club, the Albany Musical Association, the Orange Mendelssohn Society and the Newark Orpheus Society. From 1887 to 1896 he wrote analytical programs of the New York Philharmonic Society, and since 1896 has written those of the Chicago Orchestra. He is the author of Choir and Choral Music, and of a set of Piano Studies on passages from important piano works. He succeeded Wallace Goodrich as conductor of the celebrated Worcester Festivals.
4Mehlig (mā-līkh), Anna. 1846-
5Gifted pianist; born at Stuttgart; received her early musical education in the Conservatory of her native town, later studying under Liszt at Weimar. Played in concert tours on the Continent, in England and America. Made her London debut in 1866 at a Philharmonic concert, and played there and at the Crystal Palace every season until 1869. She then came to America, but reappeared in London in 1875. Since her marriage to Herr Falk she has lived in Antwerp.
7Méhul (mā-ül), Étienne Nicolas. 1763-1817.
8French writer of operas and songs; one of the last members of the old classical school of musicians in France, and a favorite composer of the great Napoleon. He was born at Givet, in Ardennes, where his father was a cook, and was able to give him only a very limited education. The boy began organ lessons with an old blind musician, and made such good progress that he became the organist of the Recollets Convent at the age of ten. Later he studied with Hauser, who was organist at the Convent of La Valdieu, and, when he was fourteen, was made a deputy organist there. Went to Paris in 1778 and became a pupil of Ebelmann, teaching and writing sonatas. In 1779 he saw the first performance of Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride and was profoundly impressed by it. Gluck offered to give him some lessons, and soon discovered that Méhul was not fitted for church composition, which until that time had been his aim, and advised him to take up opera. His Cora et Alonzo was accepted by the Academy, but its appearance was postponed. Euphrosine et Coradin was produced with excellent results at the Opéra Comique in 1790. Then followed Stratonice, the romantic story of a prince who loved his father's betrothed; Phrosine et Mélidor; Le Jeune Henri; and Ario-dant. By this time Méhul's musical reputation was firmly established, and in 1795 he was made a member of the Academy. During these years he had produced many works of lesser importance, among them compositions celebrating events of the Revolution and patriotic songs, as the famous Chant du Départ. This had caused him to be looked upon as a sort of musician of the people. In 1802 he was decorated with the cross of the Legion of Honor. His later works are L'Irato, a satire on the Italian opera buffa; Utal, a subject taken from Ossian, notable for the entire absence of violinns in the orchestral score; Les Aveugles de Tolède; and Joseph, considered his masterpiece. This last opera follows the simple story of the Bible and is entirely without women characters. It shows the influence of Gluck, but is original, having many beautiful passages, the words being very appropriate. Though generally using serious subjects, the composer brought out a few comic operas. Among the best of them are Une Folie and Le Trésor Supposé. Méhul worked with unfailing industry, composing twenty-four operas in seventeen years besides his other works, but he became a victim of consumption, and was obliged to retire to Provence. He died at Paris. The music of Méhul was representative of the revolutionary spirit of France in much the same way that the songs of Halfdan Kjerulf were characteristic of Norway's struggles for liberty. His directness and strong emotion are qualities in which this fact is exemplified. He is distinctly a follower of Gluck, and still uses a form of his own. From a scientific standpoint he surpassed Gluck, but his dramatic insight or instinct was inferior to that of Gluck.
10Meifred (mě-frā), Joseph Émile. 1791-1867.
11Horn virtuoso, who perfected the valve-horn; was born at Colmars, in
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