Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 1.djvu/53
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ÆOLODION.
41
AGNESI.
[E. P.]
[M. C. C.]
[E. P.]
AFFILARD, Michel l', a tenor singer in the choir of Louis XIV from 1683 to 1708, with a salary of 900 livres. His work on singing at sight, 'Principes très faciles,' etc., in which the time of the airs is regulated by a pendulum,—precursor of the metronome—passed through seven editions (Paris, 1691; Amsterdam, 1717.)
AFRANIO, lived in the beginning of the 16th century, a canon of Ferrara, and reputed inventor of the bassoon, on the ground of a wind instrument of his called Phagotum, which is mentioned, and figured in two woodcuts, at p. 179 of the 'Introductio in Chaldaicam linguam' of Albonesi (Pavia, 1539), a work dedicated by the author to his uncle Afranio. The instrument sufficiently resembles the modern bassoon or fagotto to make good Afranio's right; but the book does not appear to contain any account of it.
AFZELIUS, Arvid August, born 1785, a Swedish pastor and archaeologist; edited conjointly with Geijer a collection of Swedish national melodies, 'Svenska Folkvisor,' 3 vols. (Stockholm, 1814-16, continued by Arwidsson), and wrote the historical notes to another collection, 'Afsked af Svenska Folksharpan' (Stockholm, 1848).
AGAZZARI, Agostino, was a cadet of a noble family of Siena, and born on Dec. 2, 1578. He passed the first years of his professional life in the service of the Emperor Matthias. After a time he came to Rome, where he was chosen Maestro di Cappella at the German College (before 1603) at the church of S. Apollinaris,[1] and subsequently at the Seminario Romano. An intimacy grew up between him and the well-known Viadana, of Mantua, and he was one of the earliest adopters of the figured bass. In the preface to his third volume of 'Motetti' (Zanetti, Rome, 1606), he gives some instructions for its employment. In 1630 he returned to Siena, and became Maestro of its cathedral, a post which he retained till his death, probably in 1640. Agazzari was a member of the Academy of the Armonici Intronati. His publications are numerous, and consist of Madrigals, Motetts, Psalms, Magnificats, Litanies, etc., republished in numerous editions at Rome, Milan, Venice, Antwerp, Frankfort, and elsewhere. His one substantive contribution to the scientific literature of music is a little work of only sixteen quarto pages, entitled 'La Musica Ecclesiastica, dove si contiene la vera diffinizione della Musica come Scienza non più veduta e sua nobilta' (Siena, 1638); the object of which is to determine how church music should best conform itself to the Resolution of the Council of Trent. Palestrina, however, had worked at a clearer practical solution of that problem than any which the speculations of a scientific theorist could possibly evolve. On the authority of Pitoni, a pastoral drama, entitled 'Eumelio,' has been ascribed to Agazzari. It was undoubtedly performed at Amelia, and printed by Domenico Domenici at Roncilione in 1614 (Allacci, 'Dramaturgia'); but no author's name is affixed either to music or libretto.
A short motett by Agazzari is given by Proske in the 'Musica divina' (Lib. Motettorum, No. lxv).[E. H. P.]
AGITATO (Ital.), also Con Agitazione, 'agitated,' 'restless.' This adjective is mostly combined with 'allegro' or 'presto' to describe the character of a movement. In the somewhat rare cases in which it occurs without any other time-indication (e. g. Mendelssohn's 'Lieder ohne Worte,' Book i., No. 5, 'Piano agitato') a rather rapid time is indicated.
AGNESI, Maria Teresa, born at Milan, 1724; sister of the renowned scholar, Maria Gaetana Agnesi; a celebrated pianist of her
- ↑ Baini alone mentions this second appointment; but he is probably right.