Books › The Strad; a monthly journal for professionals and amateurs of all stringed instruments played with the bow, 1890 › scan 34
Scan 34
The Strad; a monthly journal for professionals and amateurs of all stringed instruments played with the bow, 1890
18 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1ing, he received a pension of 1,200 francs, and entered the orchestra of the Opera Comique, after which he became successively first violinist at the Grand Opera and (after Kreutzer was appointed director), solo violinist. From 1821 to 1824 he himself was a director. He next became inspector-general of the Conservatorium, and founded a third class for violinists, beside those of Baillot and Kreutzer.
3probability have never been heard at all! In Meyerbeer's "Robert" and "Huguenots," and in Halevy's "La Juive" he was the first in France to take an intelligent interest. A large number of his pupils have become famous (e.g., Alard and Curillon), and so beloved was he that all Paris mourned at his death on February 8th, 1819. He was buried at Montmartre.
5His best compositions are his concertos, three duets, two sets of variations for quartet with orchestra, a nocturne for two violins and orchestra, three caprices, a polonaise and a fantasia for pianoforte and violin.
7(To be continued).
9REMINISCENCES OF THE LATE SIGNOR SIVORI.
10BY JOHN DAY.
11Senior Member of Her Majesty's Private Band and Pupil of the late Charles De Beriot.
13I have read the admirably written "Souvenir of Sivori," by Dr. T. L. Phipson, appearing in the last number of THE STRAD, and from the reference I made to that great violinist in one of my articles on violins, in the December issue of this journal, it will be readily conceded that I fully concur in Dr. Phipson's remarks, given as they were without the slightest exaggeration. I think it was in the year 1843, that I first heard Sivori play at Covent Garden Theatre, where operas were performed during the lesseeship of the late Alfred Bunn, and under the conductorship of Benedict. I have a lively recollection of all the performers, for it was on this occasion, that, as a boy, I had my first engagement to play one of the second violins. Between the acts of an opera, the little man played Paganini's Clochette Rondo, the Clochette being struck by Richard Hughes, the very able leader. The performance created such enthusiasm that young as I was, I felt a certain amount of pity for the operatic performers who had to finish their parts before a dazed audience which had already expended all the applause at its command. About the year mentioned, Jullien's promenade concerts were flourishing, and deservedly so; his band consisted of the most eminent performers obtainable. Such an array of talent has not been, nor is ever likely to be surpassed; the rendering of the overtures and symphonies was as fine as could be heard anywhere, and the public flocked (especially on the classical nights) to hear them. Jullien had a very keen perception of the merits of musicians, both of composers and performers. On hearing Sivori play, he at once secured his services for his London concerts, and also for his long provincial tours, and although he paid him high terms, the engagements proved a financial success. Sivori was of an excitable temperament, and was soon aroused to anger if the accompaniments to his solos were not executed to his liking. I remember a scene which happened at a rehearsal at Brussels, when he refused to play unless another conductor of the band officiated; the conductor in question handed his bâton to M. Sangelè, the clever violinist and composer, who then conducted Sivori's solos. I think on this occasion Sivori must have been in an uncongenial mood, resulting from some cause best
15When in 1826 a new concert society was founded through the instrumentality of the Conservatorium, Habeneck became its conductor, and in this post he made for himself a reputation for the perfect performances of all sorts of masterpieces that lasted long after his death. To him is due the credit of abolishing from Paris the old-established prejudice against the works of Beethoven, and the symphonies of this master were given with a care and skill that had never been heard of in the French capital before. In fact so popular (in the best sense of the term) did the works of Beethoven become, that the room in which the concerts took place was not nearly large enough to hold the crowds of people who attempted to obtain admission. In Cherubini Habeneck found a worthy supporter of his efforts.
17For twenty-two years he occupied this post as conductor of the concerts, and in that time brought to a hearing many works by many composers that otherwise would in all
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.