Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 4.djvu/502

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486
WOLFF.
WORKING-OUT.

playing chromatic passages, as it can be applied to the melody alone, or to any specific notes, at the option of the player. It is owing to such labours as these, and M. Wolff's indefatigable activity, that the firm of Pleyel-Wolff still keeps its place in the front rank of pianoforte makers, and gains so many distinctions. Thoroughly liberal, and a philanthropist in the best sense of the word, he has contrived to give his 600 workmen a real interest in the success of the business by forming a special fund, amounting already to nearly 150,000 francs (£6,000), out of which benefit societies, retiring pensions, etc., are provided. Not ceasing to be an artist because he has gone into trade, M. Wolff has founded a prize—the Prix Pleyel-Wolff—for a pianoforte piece with or without orchestra, to be competed for annually. In fact, whether as artist or manufacturer, M. Auguste Wolff was a notable personage in the French musical world of his day. His health had been on the decline for more than a year, and he died at Paris, Feb. 9, 1887.

[ A. J. ]

WOOD, Mrs. [See Paton, Mary Anne, vol. ii. p. 672].

WOODYATT, Emily, daughter of a confectioner, at Hereford, was taught singing by Sir G. Smart, and first attracted public attention in Jan. 1834, at a concert of the Vocal Association, and later at Hereford Festival of same year. She became a favourite singer of the second rank at the various festivals, oratorio and other concerts. In 1839 she became a member of the Female Society of Musicians, on its foundation, and in 1840 was elected an Associate of the Philharmonic Society at the instance of Sir G. Smart, Cramer, and Edward Loder. On Oct. 27, 1841, she married William Loder the violoncellist, who died in 1851, and retired soon after her marriage. [See Loder.] The dates of neither her birth nor death have been ascertained.

[ A. C. ]

WORGAN, James, was organist of St. Botolph, Aldgate, and St. Dunstan in the East. In 1737 he became organist of Vauxhall Gardens, which office he resigned about 1751. He died in 1753.

John Worgan, Mus. Doc., his younger brother, born in 1724, studied music under him and Thomas Roseingrave. He became organist of St. Andrew Undershaft, and of St. John's Chapel, Bedford Row. He graduated as Mus. Bac. at Cambridge in 1748. In 1751 he succeeded his brother as organist at Vauxhall Gardens, and in 1753 also as organist of St. Botolph's, Aldgate. In 1753 he was appointed composer to Vauxhall Gardens, and continued so until 1761. In 1770 he was re-appointed to the office and held it until 1774, when he resigned both it and the organistship of the gardens. In 1775 he proceeded Mus. Doc. He died Aug. 24, 1794. He excelled as an organist, and whenever he played, crowds of professors and amateurs resorted to hear him. In a satirical song upon Joah Bates, composed by Samuel Wesley, he was placed upon an equality, as a player, with Handel:—

Let Handel or Worgan go thresh at the organ.

His compositions include an anthem for a thanksgiving for victories, 1759; two oratorios, 'Hannah,' produced at the Haymarket Theatre, 1764, and 'Manasseh,' produced at the Lock Hospital Chapel, 1766; many books of songs composed for Vauxhall; psalm tunes, glees, organ music, and harpsichord lessons.

WORKING-OUT; (also called Free Fantasia; and Development; Durchführung). The central division of a movement in Binary form, such as commonly occupies the first place in a modern sonata or symphony. A movement of this kind is divisible into three portions. The first of these consists of the exposition of subjects, and the last of the final recapitulation of them, and the central one of free discussion of the figures they contain. Both first and last are made as definite as possible—the first, in order that the subjects may be clearly understood, and the balance and contrast between two distinct keys established; and the last to complete the cycle by summing up the subjects put forward in the first division, and to emphasize strongly the principal key of the movement. The second or central division of the movement is contrasted with both first and last by being made as indefinite as can be, consistently with some underlying principle of design, which is necessary to make abstract instrumental music intelligible. The complete and rounded statement of subjects is avoided, and so is any definite and prolonged settling down into keys; so that the mind is led on from point to point by constant change of phase and aspect in the figures, and by frequent steps of modulation. The division is called the 'working-out' or the 'development' portion, because the music is carried on by working out or developing the figures and phrases of the principal subjects, by reiterating and interlacing the parts of them which are most striking and characteristic, and subjecting them to variation, transformation, fugal treatment, and all the devices both technical and ideal of which the composer is master.

With regard to the form in which this part of the movement shall be put, the composer is left to a great extent to his own resources and judgement. The musical material employed is almost invariably derived from the subjects and figures of the first division of the movement, but they are sometimes so transfigured by ingenious treatment that they look quite like new. The contrast of character between the principal subjects and accessories is generally sufficient to supply plenty of variety, and in most cases both of the principal subjects are thoroughly discussed; but sometimes one subject preponderates over another in strong features of rhythm or melody; and as in such a case it is much more available for working effectively, it occasionally happens that a more tranquil or plain subject is altogether neglected in the 'working-out.'

The independent introduction of figures and subjects which did not appear in the first divi-