Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 4.djvu/626

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DEGREES.
DELIBES.

the University; or (d) produce the certificate of the 'Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examination Board.' These conditions are not, however, required of persons holding degrees of any British University other than those in music. The musical examination itself remains as before.

At Oxford, no candidate can be admitted to the degree for Mus. Bac. unless he produce either his Testamur for Responsions (or the 'Previous' Examination at Cambridge); or a higher certificate from the Delegates for the Examination of Schools; or a certificate that as a candidate in the Senior Local Examinations he has shown sufficient merit to be excused from Responsions; or that he has satisfied the Examiners of Senior Candidates in English, Mathematics, Latin, and in one of these four languages Greek, German, French, Italian. The musical examination remains as before.

At Dublin a similar literary or general examination is imposed upon candidates for musical degrees.

London. The candidate for B. Mus. must have passed the intermediate examination in music at least one year previously. He has to send in an exercise, with five-part vocal counterpoint, canon and fugue, and quintet string accompaniment. If this is approved, he will be tested by a further examination in practical harmony and thorough bass, counterpoint, canon, fugue, form, instrumentation and a critical knowledge of some selected classical composition. The candidate may, if he chooses, offer to be examined in playing at sight from a five-part vocal score, arid playing an accompaniment from a figured bass.

Every candidate for D. Mus. must have obtained the degree of B. Mus. and pass two subsequent examinations, of which the first is called the Intermediate D. Mus. examination. This includes the phenomena of sound in general, and the nature of aerial sound-waves, the special characteristics of musical sounds, and the more elaborate phenomena of compound sounds, musical scales of various nations, temperament, Greek and church modes, history of measured music, principles of melodial progression, history of harmony and counterpoint, theory of chords and discords and progression in harmony, the general distinction between physical and aesthetical principles, as bearing on musical forms and rules.

The final D. Mus. examination must be preceded by composition of an exercise with eight-part harmony with solo and fugue, and accompaniment for full orchestra. The examination comprises practical harmony of more advanced character, counterpoint, form, instrumentation, general acquaintance with the greatest composers, and critical knowledge of specified works. Candidates may offer playing at sight from full orchestral score and extempore composition on a given subject.

DEHN, S. W. Correct date of birth to Feb. 25, 1799, and add day of death, April 21. (Paloschi.)

DE LA BORDE, Jean Benjamin, born in Paris Sept. 5, 1734, became a pupil of D'Auvergne for the violin, and of Rameau for composition, and ultimately attained great eminence as an amateur composer. He wrote nearly fifty operas of a more or less trifling kind, many songs for single voice, and several works on music, among which the 'Essai sur la Musique ancienne et moderne' (1780), is the most important. He was guillotined July 22, 1794.

[ M. ]

DELAIRE, Jacques August. See vol. iii. p. 99a note 1.

DELIBES, Clément Philibert Léo, born at St. Germain du Val (Sarthe), on Feb. 21,[1] 1836, came to Paris in 1848, and was admitted into the Solfège class at the Conservatoire, and at the same time sang in the choirs of the Madeleine and other churches. Having obtained a first prize for solfège in 1850, he studied pianoforte, organ, harmony, and advanced composition under Le Couppey, Benoist, Bazin, and Adolphe Adam respectively. Through the influence of the last-named, he became accompanyist at the Théâtre Lyrique in 1853, and also organist in the church of St. Pierre de Chaillot, and elsewhere, before his final appointment at St. Jean St. François, which he held from 1862 to 1871. He devoted himself from an early period to dramatic composition, and wrote several short comic operas for the Théâtre Lyrique—'Maître Griffard' (1857), 'Le Jardinier et son Seigneur' (1863); and a number of operettas for the Folies Nouvelles, the Bouffes Parisiens,and the Variétés, of which some were very successful—'Deux vieilles Gardes' (1856), 'L'Omelette à la Follembûche' (1859), 'Le Serpent à plumes' (1864), 'L'Écossais de Chatou' (1869), etc. He also wrote a number of choruses for male voices, a mass and some choruses for the school children of St. Denis and Sceaux, where he was inspector. In 1863 Delibes became accompanyist at the Opera, and soon afterwards second chorus master (under Victor Massé): he kept this appointment until 1872, when he gave it up on the occasion of his marriage with the daughter of Mlle. Denain, a former actress at the Comédie Française. By his appointment at the Opera a new career was opened out to him. Having been commissioned to compose the ballet of 'La Source' (Nov. 12, 1866) in collaboration with the Russian musician Minkous, he displayed such a wealth of melody as a composer of ballet music, and so completely eclipsed the composer with whom he had as a favour been associated, that he was at once asked to write a divertissement called 'Le Pas de Fleurs' to be introduced into the ballet of his old master, Adolphe Adam, 'Le Corsaire,' for its revival (Oct. 21, 1867). He was finally entrusted with the setting of an entire ballet, on the pretty comedy 'Coppélia' (May 25, 1870), which is rightly considered his most charming production, and which has gained for him a full recognition. He did not wish however to confine himself to the composition of ballets; in

  1. Date verified by register of birth.