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Harnoncourt, Nikolaus

(Encyclopedia)Harnoncourt, Nikolaus (Johann Nikolaus Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt), 1929–2016, Austrian conductor, b. Berlin, studied Vienna Music Academy (1948–52). A pioneer in the early-mu...

Söderberg, Hjalmar

(Encyclopedia)Söderberg, Hjalmar yälˈmär söˈdərbĕrˌyə [key], 1869–1941, Swedish writer. He is known for a lyrical but melancholic and disillusioned mood. Söderberg's first novel, Martin Birck's Youth (...

Vivaldi, Antonio

(Encyclopedia)Vivaldi, Antonio äntôˈnyō vēvälˈdē [key], 1678–1741, Italian composer. He was the greatest master of Italian baroque, particularly of violin music and the concerto grosso. Vivaldi received h...

Weber, Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von

(Encyclopedia)Weber, Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von frēˈdrĭkh ĕrnst fən vāˈbər [key], 1786–1826, German composer and pianist; pupil of Michael Haydn and Abbé Vogler. He made his debut as a pianist at 13 ...

Schweitzer, Albert

(Encyclopedia)Schweitzer, Albert älˈbĕrt shvīˈtsər [key], 1875–1965, Alsatian theologian, musician, and medical missionary. Determined to become a medical missionary, he obtained a doctorate in medicine at ...

Franz, Robert

(Encyclopedia)Franz, Robert rōˈbĕrt fränts [key], 1815–92, German composer of about 350 lieder, intimate songs, usually in strophic form. The first of them (pub. 1843) drew warm praise from Schumann. Franz ch...

Kuhnau, Johann

(Encyclopedia)Kuhnau, Johann yōˈhän ko͞oˈnou [key], 1660–1722, German composer and performer. Kuhnau was J. S. Bach's predecessor as organist and cantor at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. He wrote various trea...

Bennett, Sir William Sterndale

(Encyclopedia)Bennett, Sir William Sterndale, 1816–75, English musician. Bennett was a friend of Mendelssohn and Schumann, both of whom influenced his work. Besides composing, he was active as a pianist and condu...

jig

(Encyclopedia)jig, dance of English origin that is performed also in Ireland and Scotland. It is usually a lively dance, performed by one or more persons, with quick and irregular steps. When the jig was introduced...

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