and worthy of her remarkable ability. She died near Brussels, March 30, 1875. [App. p.749 "Berlioz in 1830 was violently in love with her, as an episode in his great passion for Miss Smithson; and her coolness after his departure for Rome nearly caused him to commit a frightful crime. See his Biography, chap. 34, and 'Lettres intimes,' xxvii–xxxiii. Also in M. Jullien's 'Hector Berlioz,' 1888."]
PLEYEL & CO. This distinguished Parisian firm of pianoforte-makers is now styled Pleyel Wolff et Cie., and from particulars supplied by M. Wolff—formerly a pianist and professor at the Conservatoire, and for many years head of the house—its founder was Ignaz Pleyel, the composer, who established it in 1807. The Pleyel firm is remarkable for having always been directed by musicians, such as Camille Pleyel, who became his father's partner in 1821, and Kalkbrenner, who joined them three years later. At starting, the pianoforte-maker, Henri Pape [App. p.749 "died Feb. 1887"], lent valuable aid. The influence of Chopin, who made his débût in Paris at Pleyel's rooms, in 1831, has remained a tradition in the facile touch and peculiar singing tone of their instruments. Camille Pleyel was succeeded in the control of the business by M. A. Wolff above mentioned, who has much improved the Pleyel grand pianos in the direction of power, having made them adequate to the modern requirements of the concert room, without loss of those refined qualities to which we have referred. The firm has had since 1876 an agency in London.
PLICA (literally, a Fold, or Plait). A character, mentioned by Franco of Cologne, Joannes de Muris, and other early writers, whose accounts of it are not always very easily reconciled to each other. Franco describes four kinds: (1) the 'Plica longa ascendens,' formed by the addition, to a square note, of two ascending tails, of which that on the right hand is longer than that on the left; (2) the 'Plica longa descendens,' the tails of which are drawn downwards, that on the right being, as before, longer than that on the left; (3) the 'Plica brevis ascendens,' in which the longer of the ascending tails is placed on the left side; and (4) the 'Plica brevis descendens,' in which the same arrangement obtains with the two descending tails.
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Joannes de Muris describes the Plica as a sign of augmentation, similar in effect to the Point. Franco tells us that it may be added at will to the Long, or the Breve; but to the Semibreve only when it appears in Ligature. Some other writers apply the term 'Plica' to the tail of a Large, or Long. The Descending Plica is sometimes identified with the Cephalicus, which represents a group of three notes, whereof the second is the highest. [See Notation, vol. ii. pp. 467, 468.]
PLINTIVO, 'plaintive.' A direction in use among the 'sentimental' class of writers for the pianoforte, of which, however, no specimen is found in the works of the great masters.
PLUS ULTRA. A sonata in A♭ by Dussek for pianoforte solo, op. 71. The motto 'Plus Ultra' appears to have been provoked by that of Woelfl's sonata, Non Plus Ultra; but whether it was affixed by the composer or by the publishers is not certainly known; probably by the latter, as the work was first published in Paris, to which Dussek had recently returned, with the title 'Le Retour à Paris.' The title-pages of the two works are as follows:—
'Non Plus Ultra. A Grand Sonata for the Pianoforte, in which is introduced the favourite Air Life let us Cherish, with Variations. Composed and dedicated to Miss E. Binny by J. Woelfl. Op. 41. London: Printed and sold for the author by J. Lavenu.'
'Plus Ultra. A Sonata for the Pianoforte, composed and dedicated to Non Plus Ultra,[1] by J. L. Dussek. Op. 71. London: Cianchetti and Sperati.
- ↑ It alludes to a Sonata published under this title.'
The dates of publication of the two works are probably 1800 and 1808 respectively.
PNEUMA (from the Greek πνεῦμα, a breathing; Lat. Pneuma, vel Neuma). A form of Ligature, sung at the end of certain Plain Chaunt Melodies, to an inarticulate vowel-like sound, quite unconnected with the verbal text; in which particular it differs from the Perielesis, which is always sung to an articulate syllable. [See Ligature; Perielesis.]
The use of the Pneuma can be traced back to a period of very remote antiquity quite certainly as far as the age of S. Augustine (350–430). Since then, it has been constantly employed in the Offices of the Roman Church; more especially at High Mass, on Festivals, in connection with the Alleluia of the Gradual, from which it takes its Tone, as in the following Alleluia (Tone 1), sung on Easter Sunday:—
The Alleluia is first sung twice by two Cantors,, and then repeated, in full Choir, with the addition of the Pneuma, also sung twice through. The two Cantors then intone the Versus, and the Choir respond; after which the Alleluia is again sung by the Cantors, and the Pneuma by the Choir. The Preface to the Ratisbon Gradual directs that, the Pneuma shall be sung upon the vowel A. There is no connection between this kind of Neuma and that described under Notation, vol. ii. p. 467.
PNEUMATIC ACTION. A contrivance for lessening the resistance of the keys, and other moveable parts of an organ, previously attempted by others, and brought into a practical shape by Charles S. Barker between 1832 and 41, in which latter year it was first applied by Cavaillé-Coll to the organ of S. Denis. The necessity of some such contrivance may be realised from the fact that in some of the organs on the old system, a pressure of several pounds was required to force down each key. In Willis's Organ at the
