Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Mesmer, Friedrich Anton

(Encyclopedia)Mesmer, Friedrich Anton fränts [key], 1734–1815, German physician. He studied in Vienna. His interest in “animal magnetism” developed into a system of treatment through hypnotism that was calle...

contrabassoon

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Contrabassoon contrabassoon, large, deep-toned instrument of the oboe family, also called double bassoon. Its tube, over 16 ft (5 m) long, is doubled upon itself four times. It was first made ...

Jackson, Frederick George

(Encyclopedia)Jackson, Frederick George, 1860–1938, British arctic explorer. He explored (1893–94) the tundra in arctic Russia and in Lapland, and he commanded (1894–97) the Jackson-Harmsworth expedition that...

minuet

(Encyclopedia)minuet mĭnyo͞oĕtˈ [key], French dance, originally from Poitou, introduced at the court of Louis XIV in 1650. It became popular during the 17th and 18th cent. In 3–4 meter and moderate tempo, the...

scherzo

(Encyclopedia)scherzo skĕrˈtsō [key] [Ital.,=joke], in music, term denoting various types of composition, primarily one that is lively and presents surprises in the rhythmic or melodic material. In 1607 a group ...

Elssler, Fanny

(Encyclopedia)Elssler, Fanny fäˈnē ĕlˈslər [key], 1810–84, Austrian dancer. The youngest daughter of Johann Elssler, copyist and valet of Haydn, she made her debut (1833) in London. She danced at the Paris ...

Dorati, Antal

(Encyclopedia)Dorati, Antal äntälˈ dōräˈtē [key], 1906–88, Hungarian-American conductor, b. Budapest. Dorati studied with Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók. He made his conducting debut at 18 at the Budape...

Gellert, Christian Fürchtegott

(Encyclopedia)Gellert, Christian Fürchtegott krĭsˈtyän fürkhˈtəgôt gĕlˈərt [key], 1715–69, German poet and moralist. His best-known works are Fabeln und Erzählungen (1746–48, tr. Fables and Other Po...

Eichendorff, Joseph, Freiherr von

(Encyclopedia)Eichendorff, Joseph, Freiherr von yōˈzĕf frīˈhĕr fən īˈkhəndôrf [key], 1788–1857, German poet, a leader of the late romantics. He studied law, volunteered in Lützow's corps in the Napole...

Delambre, Jean Baptiste Joseph

(Encyclopedia)Delambre, Jean Baptiste Joseph zhäN bätēstˈ zhôzĕfˈ dəläNˈbrə [key], 1749–1822, French astronomer and mathematician. He was a member of the bureau of longitudes from 1795 and professor at...