A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Framery, Nicolas

FRAMERY, Nicolas Étienne, author and musician, born March 25, 1745; when quite young was appointed 'Surintendant de la musique' to the Comte d'Artois. He wrote both words and music of 'La Sorcière par hasard' (1783), a comic opera, and of 'Médée,' a prize libretto, which was to have been set by Sacchini, had not his death intervened. It was never performed. Framery was a skilful adapter of French words to Italian operas. As an author he published—A criticism on Gluck in the 'Mercure' for Sept. 1776; 'Le Musicien pratique' (Paris 1786), a poor translation of Azopardi's 'Il Musico prattico,' rearranged by Choron in 1824; articles on Haydn, Della-Maria, etc.; besides editing from 1771 to 78 the 'Journal de Musique,' founded by Mathon-de-la-Cour in 1764; the 'Calendrier musical,' 1788–9, a continuation of Mathon-de-la-Cour's 'Almanach musical' (1775); and taking part with Ginguené and Feytou in the musical dictionary of 'l'Encyclopédie méthodique,' afterwards completed by Momigny; and in the 'Dictionnaire des beaux-arts' of the Académie. He was a Correspondant of the Institut. After copyrights had been recognised by law Framery established an agency for enforcing the rights of authors throughout France. He died in Paris Nov. 26, 1810, leaving MS. notices of Gaviniès and various other musicians.

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