Opéra in 1816, was promoted first to a place among the first violins, and finally, on Baillot's retirement (1831), to that of first violin-solo. As a concert-player he made his mark as one of the foremost violinists of the day with Mayseder's brilliant compositions, which he was the first to introduce in Paris. He was frequently heard at the Concerts du Conservatoire, of which he was one of the originators, and where his performances on the viola and the viol d'amour excited great attention. He also contributed to the success of the memorable evenings for chamber-music founded by Baillot, and of Fétis's Concerts historiques. Urhan had studied all instruments played with the bow, and could play the violin with four strings, the five- and four-stringed viola, and the viol d'amour, in each case preserving the characteristic quality of tone. He had a particular method of tuning, by which he produced varied and striking effects of tone. Charmed with his talent and originality, and anxious to turn to account his power of bowing and knowledge of effect, Meyerbeer wrote for him the famous viol d'amour solo in the accompaniment to the tenor air in the 1st act of the 'Huguenots.'
Short in stature, and with no personal attractions, Urhan dressed like a clergyman, and was looked upon, not without reason, as an eccentric; but his religion was untainted by bigotry, and he was kind and charitable. He pushed his asceticism so far as to take but one meal a day, often of bread and radishes; and during the 30 years he sat in the orchestra of the Opéra, either from religious scruples, or fear of being shocked at the attitudes of the ballerine, he never once glanced at the stage. As a composer he aimed at combining new forms with simplicity of ideas. He left 2 string quartets; 2 quintets for 3 violas, cello, double-bass, and drums ad lib.; PF. pieces for 2 and 4 hands; and melodies for 1 and 2 voices, including a romance on two notes only, all published by Richault, and now almost unprocurable. Urhan styled all his music 'romantic.' He died after a long and painful illness at Belleville (Paris), Nov. 2, 1845. Urhan was godfather to Jules Stockhausen the singer.
URIO, Francesco Antonio, a Milanese composer of the 17th and 18th centuries. The title of his first[1] published work, of which there is a copy in the Library of the Liceo Musicale of Bologna, is as follows:—
Motetti di Concerto a due, tre e quattro voci, con violini, e senza. Opera prima. Composti e Dedicati all' Eminentissimo e Reverendissimo Prencipe Il signor Cardinale Pietro Ottoboni … da Francesc' Antonio Urio da Milano Minore Conventuale, Maestro di Cappella nell' Insigne Basilica de' Santi Dodici Apostoli di Roma. In Eoma mdcxc nella Stamperia di Gio. Giacomo Komarek, Boemo, etc.
Between this date and that of his second work—also contained in the same Library—he had migrated from Rome to Venice, and was chapel-master of the church of the Frari.
Salmi concertati a' trè voci con Violini à beneplacito del Padre Francesco Antonio Urio Maestro di Cappella nella Chiesa dei Frari di Venetia. Opera Secouda dedicata all' Eccellenza del signer Don Filippo Antonio Spinola Colonna, Duca del Testo, Gentilhuomo della Camera di S. M. Cattolica, suo Generale della Cavalleria nello Stato di Milano, e Castellano del Castel Nuovo di Napoli, etc. In Bologna per Martino Silvani 1697, etc.
M. Arthur Pougin, in his Supplement to Fétis's Biographie, states that Urio wrote a Cantata di camera (1696), and two oratorios, 'Sansone' (1701) and 'Maddalena convertita' (1706) for Ferdinand de' Medicis, Prince of Tuscany; but neither the authority for the statement nor the place where the works are to be found can now be ascertained. A 'Tantum ergo' for soprano solo and figured bass is in the library of the Royal College of Music, London, No. 1744. Urio's most important known work, however, is a Te Deum for voices and orchestra, which owes its interest to us, not only for its own merits, which are considerable, but because Handel used it largely,[2] taking, as his custom was, themes and passages from it, principally for his Dettingen Te Deum (10 numbers), and also for 'Saul' (6 numbers), 'Israel in Egypt' (1 ditto), and 'L'Allegro' (1 ditto).
Of this work three MSS. are known to be in existence, (1) In the Library of the Royal College of Music, which is inscribed 'John Stafford Smith, a.d. 1780. Te Deum by Urio—Jesuit of Bologna. Apud 1682.' Over the Score: 'Te Deum. Urio. Con due Trombe, due Oboe, Violini & due Viole obligati & Fagotto a 5 Voci,' (2) In the British Museum (Add. MSS. 31,478), 'Te Deum Laudamus con due Trombe, due Oboe et Violini, et due[3] Viole obligati. Del Padre Frañco Uria (sic) Bolognese.' This title is followed by a note in ink, apparently in the handwriting of Dr. Thomas Bever, Fellow of All Souls, Oxford, and a collector of music in the last century:
This curious score was transcribed from an Italian Copy in the Collection of Dr. Samuel Howard, Mus. D., organist of St. Bride's and St. Clement's Danes. It formerly belonged to Mr. Handel, who has borrowed from hence several Verses in the Dettingen Te Deum, as well as some other passages in the Oratorio of Saul. T. B.
This copy was written by John Anderson, a Chorister Of St. Paul's 1781. Pri. 1l. 8s. 0d.
Above this in pencil, in another hand:
In the copy purchased by J. W. Callcott at the sale of Warren Home, the date is put at 1661.[4]
(3) The copy just mentioned as having been sold at Warren Home's sale came into the possession of M. Schoelcher (as stated in a note by Joseph Warren on the fly-leaf of No. 2), and is now in the Library of the Conservatoire at Paris. It is an oblong quarto, with no title-page, but bearing above the top line of the score on page 1, 'Te Deum, Urio, 1660.' The following notes are written on the fly-leaves of the volume.[5]
- ↑ I am indebted for this fact, unknown to Fétis, to the kindness of Cavaliere Castellani, Chief Librarian to the Biblioteca della R. Universita, at Bologna.
- ↑ First publicly mentioned by Crotch in his Lectures (see the list, p. 122, note), and then by V. Novello (Preface to Purcell. p. 9).
- ↑ In the score itself these are given as 'Violetta' (in alto clef) and 'Violetta tenore' (in tenor clef).
- ↑ More accurately 1660.
- ↑ I owe these notes to the kindness of my friend M. G. Chouquet, keeper of the Musée of the Conservatoire.
