OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Oury, Anna

From volume 2 of the work.
​OURY, Madame (née, Anna Caroline de BELLEVILLE). This once-celebrated pianiste, the daughter of a French nobleman, director of the opera in Munich, was born at Landshut in Bavaria, Jan. 24, 1806 [App. p.737 "1808"], and spent the first ten years of her life at Augsburg with her parents, studying with the cathedral organist, on whose recommendation she was taken to Vienna in 1816, and placed under the direction of Czerny for four years, during which time she was introduced to Beethoven, and heard him improvise on the piano. She appeared on two occasions in Vienna, on one of which (Madame Catalani's farewell concert) she played a Hummel concerto with orchestra. In 1820 she returned to her parents at Munich, and played there with great success. The next year was spent in Paris, where she was well received. She resumed her studies with Andreas Streicher in Vienna in 1829, after which she made a professional tour to Warsaw, Berlin, etc. In 1831 she came to London, and made her début at her Majesty's theatre at Paganini's concert in July. Her own concert took place in August, and in October she married M. Oury the violinist, with whom she then proceeded to make a long tour to Russia, where they remained two years, to the principal cities of Germany, Austria, and Holland, settling at length in Paris for two years and a half. In April 1839 they returned to England, which from that time became their home. Until 1846 Madame Oury divided her time between London and Brighton, being particularly successful at the latter place. From that time she devoted herself entirely to composition, and during the twenty years that followed published no less than 180 pieces, principally of the class known as 'drawing-room' music. In 1866 she retired from all artistic pursuits, and continued to live near London.
[ J. A. F. M. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ottavino

From volume 2 of the work.
​OTTAVINO. An octave flute. [See Piccolo.]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ours, L'

From volume 2 of the work.
​OURS, L'—The Bear. A name sometimes given to one of the six symphonies composed by Haydn in 1786 for the Society of the 'Loge Olympique' in Paris. [See vol. i. p. 721.] The ​title is due to the finale, which opens with a passage à la Cornemuse, recalling a bear-dance.
[ G. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Otthoboni, Pietro

From volume 2 of the work.
​OTTHOBONI, the Cardinal Pietro, nephew to Pope Alexander VIII, was born in the year 1668, advanced to the Purple in 1690, and afterwards appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Holy See. He was a munificent patron of Art, and a firm friend to all great Artists, whether native or foreign. In proof of this may be cited his patronage of Corelli, and his intimacy with Domenico Scarlatti and Handel, for both of whom he entertained a sincere regard. It was indeed at his suggestion that, during Handel's short residence in Rome, these two great Musicians entered upon the memorable trial of skill, which resulted in a drawn battle upon the Harpsichord, though Scarlatti himself confessed to Handel's great superiority over him upon the Organ.
Cardinal Otthoboni is best known to the present generation of Musicians by his splendid Library. He was an enthusiastic collector of MSS.; and on the dispersion of the Library belonging to the noble house of Altaemps, he was fortunate enough to obtain possession of some priceless treasures which had remained in custody of the family ever since they were first acquired by the Duke Giovanni Angelo in the 16th century. The interest attached to these volumes is no ordinary one. Duke Giovanni Angelo Altaemps was not only the friend of Palestrina, but his pupil also. His Choir ranked next in excellence to that of the Pontifical Chapel; and Palestrina and other great Masters of the age supplied him with a vast number of original works, the greater part of which still remain unedited. Many of these works appear to be hopelessly lost: but two large volumes are still preserved in the Collegio Romano, and six in the Vatican Library. Those belonging to the College contain eight Motets for four, and nine for eight Voices, by Palestrina, all of which have lately been published for the first time by Messrs. Breitkopf & Härtel, in their complete collection. Those in the Vatican Library contain Masses and other compositions, which for the most part still remain unpublished. These last, now known as the Altaemps-Otthoboni Collection, were the volumes secured by the learned Cardinal, after whose death, in the year 1740, they were purchased and presented to the Vatican Library by ​Pope Benedict XIV. Their authenticity as faithful copies, made from original MSS. during the lifetime of Palestrina and the other great Masters whose works they contain, is indisputable; and, in common with the volumes in the Collegio Romano, they possess an additional interest from the fact that the Accidentals demanded by the laws of Cantus fictus are supplied in them throughout. [See Music ficta.] It is impossible to ascertain by whose hand those Accidentals were inserted. In all probability they were introduced for the convenience of the Ducal Choir. But it is certain that they date from a time when Cantus fictus was much more generally studied than it is now; and on this account they are invaluable authorities on disputed points.
[ W. S. R. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Otto, Melitta

[ A. C. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Musurgia Universalis

From volume 2 of the work.
​MUSURGIA UNIVERSALIS. The name of a voluminous work, published at Rome in the year 1650, by the Jesuit Father, Athanasius Kircher, and translated into German, by Andreas Hirsch, of Hall, in Suabia, in 1662.
The ten Books into which the treatise is divided contain much useful matter, interrupted, unfortunately, by a host of irrelevant disquisitions, and an inordinate amount of empty speculation.
In the First Book, the author describes the Construction of the Ear, the Comparative Anatomy of the Vocal Organs, and the sounds emitted by Beasts, Birds, Reptiles, and Insects, including the Death-Song of the Swan.—The Second Book treats of the Music of the Hebrews, and the Greeks.—In the Third, are contained discussions on the Theory of Harmonics, Proportion, the Ratios of Intervals, the Greek Scales, the Scale of Guido d'Arezzo, the system of Boëthius, and the Antient Greek Modes.—The Fourth Book is devoted to a description of the Monochord, and its minute divisions.—The Fifth Book treats of Notation, Counterpoint, and other branches of Composition; and contains a Canon which may be sung by twelve million two hundred thousand voices. [See Nodus Salomonis.]—The Sixth Book—founded chiefly on the Harmonicorum libri XII of Mersennus contains a long dissertation upon Instrumental Music.—The Seventh Book describes the difference between Antient and Modern Music.—The Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Books are filled with discussions of a very transcendental character; and, dealing largely in 'the Marvellous,' treat of the Bite of the Tarantula and its musical cure, the Harmony of the Spheres, and of the Four Elements, the Principles of Harmony as exemplified in the Proportions of the Human Body and the Affections of the Mind, and other subjects equally visionary and recondite, some compensation for the absurdity of which will be found in a really practical ​description of the Æolian Harp, of which Father Kircher claims to be the inventor.
[ W. S. R. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mutation

From volume 2 of the work.
​MUTATION. (Lat. Mutatio, from muto to change.) I. When, in the Solmisation of a Plain Chaunt Melody, it becomes necessary to pass from one Hexachord to another, the process by which the transfer is effected is called a Mutation. [See Hexachord.] In ascending from the Hexachordon durum to the Hexachordon naturale, the change may be conveniently made by substituting the re of the latter for the sol of the former, at the note D—whence this particular Mutation is known as that of Sol Re. [See example, vol. i. p. 734b.]
In descending from the Hexachordon naturale to the Hexachordon durum, the sol of the latter must be taken, instead of the re of the former, at the same note; and the Mutation is then called Re Sol. The same process will also serve for the mutual interchange between the Hexachordon naturale and the Hexachordon molle, at the note G.
But, in ascending from the Hexachordon naturale to the Hexachordon durum, the re of the latter must be substituted for the la of the former, at the note A, by means of the Mutation La Re: and, in descending from the Hexachordon durum to the Hexachordon naturale, the la of the second will be sung instead of the re of the first—Re La.
Direct communication between the Hexachordon durum, and the Hexachordon molle, is rarely used, on account of the False Relation described under the head of Mi Contra Fa.
Many different systems of Mutation have been recommended by early writers; but all agree in the necessity of so arranging that the Semitone shall always fall between the Syllables mi and fa. Lucas Lossius (Erotemata musicæ, 1563) directs the change to be always made by means of re in ascending, and la in descending; and enforces his rule in the following distich—
Vocibus utaris solum mutando duabus: Per re quidem sursum mutatur, per la deorsum.
II. The term is also applied to the change which takes place in a Boy's Voice, when it passes from Treble, or Alto, into Tenor, or Bass. The period of this transformation is uncertain; but it generally declares itself between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, and is very rarely deferred later than the completion of the seventeenth year. During the time that it is in progress, the vocal organs undergo so much disturbance, that great care is necessary in order to prevent them from being seriously injured by incautious exercise.
[ W. S. R. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/My mother bids me bind my hair

From volume 2 of the work.
[ G. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mysliweczek, Josef

From volume 2 of the work.
​MYSLIWECZEK, Josef, a Bohemian composer, son of a miller, born near Prague, March 9, 1737, had a good education in the common school, and after his father's death devoted himself to music. After many attempts at composition, and much wandering, he fell upon his feet at Parma, in 1764, with an opera, the success of which was so great as to induce the Neapolitan ambassador to engage him to write the opera for the celebration of the next birthday of the king at Naples. The new piece was called Bellerofonte, and made his reputation to that degree that though he returned to the north of Italy he was recalled to Naples no less than nine times. Mozart met him at Bologna in Nov. 1772 [App. p.727 "Oct. 1770"], and again at Munich in 1777. He was evidently very gifted. Mozart says of his sonatas that 'they are bound to please, not difficult, and very effective,' and urges his sister to learn themby heart. Elsewhere he speaks of himas a prize difficult to replace. He was evidently veryfascinating, but as evidently a loose fish, unable, with all his engagements, to keep himself respectable.
[ G. ]
* ↑ Letter. Nov. 13, 1777.
* ↑ Oct. 11, 1777.
* ↑ Aug. 7, 1778.
* ↑ Feb. 22, 1778; Oct. 11. 1777.
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Muta

From volume 2 of the work.
[ G. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mute

From volume 2 of the work.
​MUTE (sordino; sourdine; dämpfer). A contrivance applied to a musical instrument for the purpose of deadening or lessening the sound. In the pianoforte the effect is produced by the dampers or the soft pedal. In instruments of the violin-tribe the mute is a piece of brass so formed as to stick on to the bridge and stand clear of the strings. It adds weight to the bridge and thus checks the vibrations of the body of the instrument. [See Appendix, Dolce Campana.] [App. p.727 "omit reference"] In the horn and trumpet a sort of leathern pear is employed, which fills the bell to a great extent, and thus prevents the sound from coming fully out.
[ G. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mässig

From volume 2 of the work.
[ J. A. F. M. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Männergesangverein

From volume 2 of the work.
[ F. G. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mutation stops

From volume 2 of the work.
​MUTATION STOPS, in an organ, are those registers which do not produce a sound agreeing with the name of the key pressed down, but either the perfect fifth or the major third to it, as G or E on the C key. The former are called fifth-sounding, or Quint stops; the latter third-sounding, or Tierce stops. The proper relative size of the largest fifth-sounding stop is one-third that of the Foundation stop from which it is deduced; as 10⅔, 5⅓, or 2⅔, from the 32, 16, or 8 feet stops respectively. The largest Tierce-sounding stops are one-fifth the size of the Foundation stops from which they are deduced; as 6$^2$⁄$_5$, 3$^1$⁄$_5$, and 1$^3$⁄$_5$ feet respectively. The third-sounding rank on the manual has been much more sparingly used since the introduction of Equal Temperament, as it does not sound agreeably with that system of tuning; and an additional rank of pipes consequently becomes available for some other purpose.
[ E. J. H. ]
# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mystères d'Isis, Les

From volume 2 of the work.
[ G. ]
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Dsingu

DSINGU, (Empress of Japan)
Who accompanied her husband Tsiuu-ti, in the war he undertook, in 201, to gain the Corean peninsula. Dying in the beginning of this expedition, the monarch charged her to complete the conquest; which she did with great expedition and rapidity.
F. C.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Duchemin, (Catherine)

DUCHEMIN, (CATHERINE)
A famous painter, wife of Girardon, the Sculptor.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Dunoyer, (Anne-Margaret, Madame)

DUNOYER, (ANNE-MARGARET, MADAME) born at Nismes, 1663; died 1720.
Her maiden name was Petit. She was educated in the Protestant religion, and seems to have suffered much persecution; giving, in her memoirs, a long detail of the cruelties exercised on the Huguenots at Nismes; from which she fled for shelter to Geneva, and thence to Zurich, in Switzerland. It is not very easy to give a just idea of the character of this lady. From reading her own account, one would be apt to think she was the most virtuous and unfortunate woman that ever existed. On the other hand, her husband, who, appears himself to have been an indifferent character, represents her in odious colours, and endeavours to set ​her in a most contemptible light. Which of these accounts we are to credit, is rather difficult to decide; but the probable conclusion is, that Madame Dunoyer was not so good as she describes herself, nor so bad as her husband took pains to make the world believe.
After she left Switzerland, Madame Dunoyer made an excursion to England; of which nation she gives a long and curious account; and, upon the whole, a very candid one. Some time after, she visited Holland, and became acquainted with Voltaire, to whom she proved an implacable enemy. Her dislike arose from his endeavouring to convert her daughter, with whom he was passionately in love, to the catholic religion. Madame Dunoyer, who was a zealous protestant, highly resented this conduct, and forbade his ever visiting her daughter. He, however, persuaded the latter to consent to some stolen interviews; but their place of rendezvous was discovered, and her mother, by some complaint which she made against Voltaire, obtained an order to have him sent out of Holland. This he received from the hands of a French ambassador, who commanded him not to quit his apartment till the moment of his departure. Upon which he wrote to Mademoiselle Dunoyer a letter full of complaints and murmurs against her mother.
This, and other letters in the same style, fell into the hands of Madame Dunoyer, who, of course, grew much more exasperated against him. She accused him, perhaps with great reason, of not being so much in love as he pretended, and even of copying some of the most tender expressions, in his epistolary correspondence, verbatim, from the letters of Abelard and Heloise.
She is the author of a Recueil de Lettres Historiques et ​Galantes, in which are interwoven the news of the day, and things which chiefly concerned herself.
Mrs. Thicknesse.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Dumée, (Jane)

DUMÉE, (JANE) a celebrated Parisian Astronomer, of the seventeenth Century,
Was married very young, and became a widow at the age of seventeen. Nothing now prevented her from ​delivering herself up to the study of astronomy, which she did with such success, that she published a work, in 1680, respecting the opinions of Copernicus, which was executed with precision and elegance, as well as force of reasoning.
F. C.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Durand, (Catherine Bedacier)

DURAND, (CATHERINE BEDACIER, afterwards Madame) a distinguished French Novel Writer. Died 1736, at an advanced Age.
The titles of her works are, La Comtesse de Mortane; Memoires de la Cour de Charles VII.; Petits Soupers de l'Ete; le Comte de Cardomie, ou la Constance Victorieuse; Histoire Sicilienne; les Belles Grecques, this is a history of the most famous Grecian courtisans; l'Histoire de Henri, Due des Vandales; Comedies en Proverbes, and some poetical pieces, which are not worth much.
F. C.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Dubec, (Renée)

DUBEC, (RENÉE) Marechale de Guebriant,
Distinguished for her wit and great talents; ambassadress extraordinary to Poland; an employment which she filled with great dignity. Le Laboureur has written her life. She died at Paris 1659.
F. C.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Dupre, (Maria)

This learned man having remarked the aptitude of his niece to acquire knowledge, undertook himself the care of her education, he remarked, that she avoided the ordinary amusements of childhood; that she had a good memory, and soon acquired a complete knowledge of French literature; on which he determined to teach her the dead languages; in which she made a rapid progress, not only acquiring Latin and Greek, but excelling in poetry, rhetoric, and philosophy. After she lost her uncle, in 1653, she also studied Italian; she held a correspondence with all the literati of that age, and wrote in her own language with the same purity and elegance with which she spoke it.
F. C.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Ebba

E.
EBBA, (Abbess of Coldingham, in Ireland),
Hearing of an invasion of the Danes, who put every thing to fire and sword, and committed the most horrid barbarities, Ebba persuaded the nuns of her monastery to save themselves from the violence of these barbarians, by disfiguring their faces, so as to become objects of horror rather than of love. Persuaded by her eloquence and example, the whole community cut off their noses and upper lips. When the Danes came and saw them in this state, they were so enraged that they set fire to the convent, and these martyrs to chastity perished in the flames.
F. C.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Dumont, (Madame)

DUMONT, (MADAME) Daughter of M. Lutel, Comptroller-general to the Duke of Orleans; a French Lady, of the eighteenth Century;
Married early in life to M. Dumont, a gentleman of eminence in the law. She published a translation of the Odes of Horace, and a Collection of Pieces, in prose and verse; which were all well received. She was also an admirable musician.
F. C.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Eleanor

ELEANOR, Maid of Bretagne,
Sister of Arthur, the undoubted heiress of the English crown, and the greatest beauty of her time, wasted forty years in Bristol castle, where she died, in 1241, having never been prevailed upon to recede from her pretensions to the crown of England.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Fritigila

FRITIGILA, became famous, A. D. 396.
Queen of the Marcomans, being instructed in christianity by the writings of Ambrose, embraced it herself, and by her influence, occasioned her husband and ​the whole nation, to do the same. By her persuasion, they entered into a durable alliance with the Romans; so that, in the various irruptions of the barbarians on the empire, the Marcomans are never mentioned by historians, though only separated by the Danube.
Gifford's France.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Fredegonda

A vile character, infamous for her amours and her cruelties, possessed the regal power many years, A crown, procured to her at first by her charms, was preserved by the strength of her genius. She had governed during Clotaiie's minority with consummate policy, had rendered her regency illustrious by victories, and had conquered and secured Paris to her son. All these achievements are unequivocal proofs of vigour and talent, and almost made her subjects forget that she was ambitious, cruel, vindictive; that she had sacrificed to her ambition or safety, one great king, two virtuous queens, two heirs apparent to the throne, and an infinite number of inferior quality. In this moment of triumph, when her arms were crowned with victory, God called her hence, as if apprehensive the enormity of her crimes would by unthinking mortals be sunk in the splendor of her exploits.
Gifford's France.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Fleurs, (Philiberte de)

FLEURS (PHILIBERTE DE), a Poetess of Tours in the 16th Century.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Fontaines, (the Countess de)

Was the author of two little romances, Amenophis and La Comtesse de Savoye, which have much merit, and were highly praised by Voltaire, whom they furnished with subjects for two of his most celebrated tragedies, Artemise and Tancred.
Mrs. Thicknesse.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Force, (Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la)

FORCE (CHARLOTTE-ROSE DE CAUMONT DE LA), born in Guienne, 1650, died at Paris, 1724;
Has given many works to the public, full of sentiment and imagination, chiefly romances, which are written in a plesant stile, Histoire de Marguerite de ​Valois, De Gustave Vasa, De Bourgogne, De la Duchesse de Bar, Sœur de Henry IV, Les Fees, Conte de Contes, and many pieces of poetry.
F.C. &c.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Fisher, (Mary)

FISHER, MARY a Quaker of the last Century,
Who formed the project of visiting Constantinople, to convert the grand seignior. On her arrival at Smyrna, the English consul sent her to Venice. She then went all the way by land, and actually appeared before the sultan Mahomet IV. who heard her patiently, and, then supposing her to be mad, caused her to be sent back to her own country, where she married a preacher of the same sect. This couple afterwards went into Languedoc, to preach the tenets of quakerism among the protestants of that province.
F. C. &c.
# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Fontana, (Lavinia)

Her colouring was so soft and sweet, that she was much sought after to draw portraits of ladies. After having worked in public and private, she went to Rome, where she served Gregory XIII. and the noble family of Boncompagni, who all protected and encouraged her. Amongst other paintings, she made one of the Stoning of St. Stephen, with figures larger than life, which was placed in the church of St. Paul, in the environs of Rome, where she died at the age of fifty, celebrated by orators and poets. She is said, in statuary, to have surpassed even the famous Propertia de Rossi.
Abecedario Fittorico, Father Feejoo.