A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Regibo, Abel

REGIBO, Abel Benjamin Marie, born at Renaix in Belgium, April 6, 1835, received his first lessons in music from his father, who was director of the choir of the College of St. Hermes in that town. From infancy Regibo showed a great inclination to music. In 1848 he entered the Conservatoire at Ghent, where he was placed for piano under Max Heyndericks; and in two years, while following the instruction of Joseph Mengal, he obtained the prize for harmony. Gevaert gave him lessons in counterpoint. In 1854 his father removed him to the Conservatoire at Brussels, where Lemmens taught him the organ, and Fétis composition. Among his numerous compositions, the fruit of these studies, there is a trio for piano, harmonium, and cello, dedicated to Fétis. A second trio for the same combination is dedicated to Gevaert. In 1856 Regibo contracted for two years with Messrs Mercklin and Schütze to display their organs and harmoniums, and was publicly heard on the latter in Holland, in London and in Paris. Having found in a garret of his father's house a spinet by Albert Delin of Tournai, dated 1756, which had been the musical instrument of his childhood, he conceived the idea of collecting all the old Belgian clavecins, spinets and dulcimers possible—an idea the successful carrying out of which is likely to make his name widely known. Regibo has proposed to himself the patriotic task of redeeming the works of the old Belgian makers from their unmerited obscurity, and after a quarter of a century's research he has now the largest collection existing of the clavecins of the great Antwerp makers, including the greatest of all, the family of Ruckers. [See Ruckers; also Collections in the Appendix.] To justify the importance of his object he is now engaged upon a technical treatise, soon to be published, upon the last three centuries of this instrumental art of his native country, which has no early rival even of approximate importance except the still earlier efforts of Northern Italy in the same direction. In 1872 Regibo was summoned to his native town to take the direction of the School of Music, a post which he still holds (1881).

[ A. J. H. ]