Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 1.djvu/490

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478
DYKES.
EAGER.

and anthems, and a large number of hymn tunes, many of which have met with very general acceptance. Among these may be noted 'Nearer my God to Thee,' 'The day is past and over,' and 'Jesu, lover of my soul.' He was joint editor [App. p.625 "took an active part in the compilation"] of 'Hymns, Ancient and Modern.' Beyond his musical repute he was much esteemed as a theologian.

DYNE, JOHN, a distinguished alto singer and glee composer. One of his glees, 'Fill the bowl,' obtained a prize from the Catch Club in 1768. In 72 he was appointed a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and in 79 a lay vicar of Westminster Abbey. He was one of the principal singers at the commemoration of Handel in 1784. A pistol-shot, by his own hand, terminated his existence Oct. 30, 1788.

DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC, Boston, U. S. A., 4to. fortnightly, was founded in 1852 by John S. Dwight, whose name it bears, and is still edited by him. Mr. Dwight was one of the since somewhat famous little community at Brook Farm who did much in many ways to advance the interests of literature and philanthropy. Hawthorne, for a time, was one of them, and the names of others have since become famous. Mr. Dwight, though not an educated musician, was musical editor of the 'Harbinger,' a periodical published at Brook Farm, and a frequent contributor of musical critiques to the daily papers of Boston, where he did good service in directing attention to what was noblest and best in music.

For six years he was editor, publisher, and proprietor of the Journal, the publication of which was then assumed by Oliver Ditson & Co. During the war it was changed from a weekly to a fortnightly paper. Its object was to advocate music and musical culture in the highest sense, and to give honest and impartial criticisms, a purpose to which it has been always steadily devoted. As its title indicates, it is 'Dwight's Journal,' expressing the convictions of its editor without fear or favour; and this course has gained for it the respect of many who differ widely from the opinions which it advocates. Mr. Dwight has been sole editor up to this day, although the volumes contain valuable contributions from other pens. Among the most noticeable are those from A. W. Thayer, the biographer of Beethoven, who has written for it many valuable biographical and historical articles, as well as musical tales. Especially noteworthy are his articles on some of the contemporaries of Beethoven—Salieri, Gyrowetz, Gelinck, Hummel, and others. Prof. Ritter and his wife (now of the Vassar Female College), W. S. B. Mathews of Chicago, and C. C. Perkins of Boston, have also contributed frequent and valuable articles to its columns. Its republications of the best articles in European musical journals, and translations from valuable works, with its excellent foreign correspondence and well selected pages of classical music, make these volumes a valuable book of reference during the whole period of its existence, during which over 100 musical papers have arisen—and in great part disappeared—in the United States. Whatever is good and noble and earnest in art has never failed to find in 'Dwight's Journal of Music' an enthusiastic advocate and staunch defender. And hence, while other journals have disappeared with the fashions of the day, it still pursues its course, in form and spirit the same that it was a quarter of a century ago.

[ H. W. ]

E.


E. The third note of the scale of C. In French and in solfaing, Mi. The first string, or chanterelle, of the violin, and the 4th of the double bass, are tuned to E in their respective octaves. The scale of E major has 4 sharps in the signature; that of E minor 1 sharp; and C♯ and G are their relatives, minor and major. E is the key note of the 'Phrygian' mode in Gregorian music, and C (not B) its Dominant there.

E is not a frequent key in orchestral compositions—probably from difficulties connected with the Clarinets, Horns, and Trumpets. At any rate neither Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Spohr, Schubert, or Schumann, have written a symphony in E major. The overtures to Fidelio and Midsummer Night's Dream, Deux Journées and Tannhäuser, are exceptions among overtures. In chamber music it is more often employed. Mozart has a fine pianoforte trio in it; Beethoven uses it in 2 sonatas (op. 14, No. 1; 109). Bach's fugue in E (Bk. 2) is perhaps the most widely known of all the immortal 48.

E flat (Fr. mi bémol; Germ. Es) on the other hand has a splendid progeny, of which we need only mention the Eroica Symphony, the Septet, the 5th Pianoforte Concerto, 2 solo sonatas, op. 31, No. 3, and 'Les Adieux,' 2 string quartets, a pianoforte trio, and the 'Liederkreis,' among Beethoven's works alone; the St. Ann's fugue by Bach, with the noble Prelude which may or may not belong to it; Mozart's well-known Symphony; 2 of Haydn's ' Salomon Set,' etc., etc.

[ G. ]

EAGER, JOHN, born 1782 at Norwich, where his father was a musical instrument maker and organ builder. Having learned from his father the rudiments of music, he was at twelve years old taken under the care of the Duke of Dorset, an amateur violinist, who carried him to his seat at Knole, where free access to the library enabled him to repair the defects of his early education. His patron dying he established himself at Yarmouth as a violinist and teacher