portamento, the union of the registers, a surprising agility, a graceful and pathetic style, and a shake as admirable as it was rare. There was no branch of the art which he did not carry to the highest pitch of perfection .... The successes which he obtained in his youth did not prevent him from continuing to study; and this great artist applied himself with so much perseverance that he contrived to change in some measure his style and to acquire another and superior method, when his name was already famous and his fortune brilliant.' Such was Farinelli, as superior to the great singers of his own period as they were to those of more recent times.
FARINELLI, Giuseppe, composer, born at Este, May 7, 1769; in 1785 entered the conservatorio 'De' Turchini' at Naples, where he studied accompaniment under Fago, and composition under Sala and Tritto. In 1808 he was in Venice, and 1810–17 at Turin. In 1819 he was appointed chapel-master at Trieste, where he died Dec. 12, 1836. He composed an immense number of operas in avowed imitation of Cimarosa, which however were more successful than the majority of imitations. A duet he introduced into the 'Matrimonio Segreto' has been mistaken for Cimarosa' s own composition. He also wrote masses, a 'Stabat' in two parts, and other church music.
FARMER, John, 'practitioner in the art of Musique' in the latter part of the 16th century, published in 1591 a little tract entitled 'Divers and sundrie waies of two Parts in one, to the number of fortie upon one playn Song; sometimes placing the Ground above and the parts benethe, and otherwise the Ground benethe and the parts above,' etc. He was one of the ten composers employed by T. Este to harmonise the tunes for his 'Whole Book of Psalms' published in 1592. In 1599 he published his 'First Set of English Madrigals to Foure Voyces,' in the address 'To the Reader' prefixed to which he says he has fitly 'linkt' his 'Musicke to number,' and given to each 'their true effect.' Both this work and his tract are dedicated to the Earl of Oxenford, whom the author describes as 'my very good Lord and Master.' Farmer contributed to 'The Triumphes of Oriana,' 1601, the madrigal 'Faire nimphee I heard one telling.' Nothing is known of his biography.
FARMER, Thomas, Mus. Bac., was originally one of the Waits of London, and graduated at Cambridge in 1684. He composed instrumental music for the theatre and contributed some songs to 'The Theater of Music,' 1685–87, and to, D'Urfey's Third Collection of Songs, 1685. In 1686 he published 'A Consort of Musick in four parts, containing thirty-three Lessons beginning with an Overture,' and in 1690 'A Second Consort of Musick in four parts, containing eleven Lessons, beginning with a Ground.' Purcell composed an Elegy, written by Nahum Tate, upon his death (printed in Orpheus Britannicus, ii. 35) from which it may be inferred that he died young.
FARNABY, GILES, Mus. Bac., was of the family of Farnaby of Truro, and nearly related to Thomas Farnabie, the famous Kentish school-master. He commenced the study of music about 1580, and on July 9, 1592, graduated at Oxford as Bachelor of Music. He was one of the ten composers employed by Thomas Este to harmonise the tunes for his 'Whole Book of Psalms,' published in 1592. In 1598 he published 'Canzonets to foure voyces, with a song of eight parts,' with commendatory verses prefixed by Antony Holborne, John Dowland, Richard Alison, and Hugh Holland. A madrigal by Farnaby, 'Come, Charon, come,' is extant in MS.
[App. p.633 "he graduated at Christ Church as Mus. Bac. on July 7, 1592; stating in his supplicat that he had studied music for 12 years. (Wood's 'Fasti,' ed. Bliss, i. 257.) There are a number of pieces by him in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (see vol. iv. pp. 308–310), among which is a curious composition for two virginals. The same volume contains four pieces by his son, Richard Farnaby, of whom nothing is known. Giles Farnaby contributed harmonies to some of the tunes in Ravenscroft's Psalter (1621). Wood's statement that he was a native of Truro is probably correct, though the name does not occur in the Visitation of Cornwall of 1620. Thomas Farnaby's wife came from Launceston; he lived most of his life in London and Sevenoaks, and his descendants remained in Kent, but the early history of the family is obscure, and the connection between Giles and Thomas Farnaby cannot be traced."]
FARNESE, Marianna, a seconda donna who appeared in London about the years 1776 and 7. She took part in Traetta's 'Germondo,' and also played Calipso in his 'Telemaco.'
FARRANT, John. There were two musicians of this name, who both flourished about the year 1600. The elder was organist of Salisbury Cathedral, and the other organist of Christ's Hospital, London. Nothing more is known of their lives.
FARRANT, Richard, was one of the Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal in the sixteenth century. The date of his first appointment is not known, but he resigned in April, 1564, on becoming Master of the Children of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, of which he is said to have been also a lay vicar and organist. During his tenure of office at Windsor he occupied 'a dwelling house within the Castle, called the Old Commons.' On Nov. 5, 1569, he was re-appointed a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and remained such until his death, which occurred on Nov. 30, 1580. Farrant's church music merits all the eulogy which has been bestowed upon it for solemnity and pathos. His service printed by Boyce in G minor is given by Tudway (B. Museum, Harl. MSS. 7337 and 8) in A minor, and called bis 'High Service.' His two anthems, 'Call to remembrance' and 'Hide not Thou Thy face' were for many years performed on Maundy Thursday during the distribution of the royal bounty. The beautiful anthem, 'Lord, for Thy tender mercies' sake' (the words from Lydley's Prayers), has long been assigned to Farrant, although attributed by earlier writers to John Hilton. Tudway (Add. MSS. 7340) gives another anthem—'0 Lord, Almighty,' full, 4 voices—as his, but this is questionable.
His son, Daniel, was one of the first authors who set lessons 'lyra way' for the viol, after the manner of the old English lute or bandora, in the time of Charles I.
FARRENC, Aristide, born at Marseilles April 9, 1794, died in Paris Feb. 12, 1869 [App. p.633 "Jan. 31, 1865"], composed some pieces for the flute, but is best known as a writer on music. He took an important part in the 2nd edition of Fétis's 'Biographie universelle,' and wrote the biographical notices in Madame Farrenc's 'Trésor des Pianistes.' He also contributed critiques to 'La France
