Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 4.djvu/624

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DANCE RHYTHM.
DAVIES.

absolute dance movements. Among Mozart's the last movement of the E♭ Symphony may be pointed to; among Beethoven's the wild frenzy of the last movement of the Symphony in A minor, No. 7. In modern times the influence of dance music upon the musical character of composers has become very marked. The dance which has had the greatest influence of all is undoubtedly the Waltz, and its ancestor the Ländler. Beethoven, Weber, Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms have not only written dance movements of this kind, but show its influence in movements which are not acknowledged as dance movements. Even Wagner has written one dance of this kind in 'Die Meistersinger.'

Many modern composers have introduced bonâ fide national dance-tunes into their instrumental works, as Beethoven did with Russian tunes in the Rasoumoffsky Quartets. Some go further, as may be seen by the example of Schubert, Brahms, and Dvořák, and others of note. For they accept, as invaluable accessories to their art, rhythmic and characteristic traits drawn from the dances of Hungarians, Scandinavians, Bohemians, Sclavs, and Celts of various ilks; and subjects which appear in movements of sonatas and symphonies by famous composers are sometimes little more than figures taken from national dance-tunes slightly disguised to adapt them to the style of the composer.

The connection of music with gesture is a question too special and intricate to be entered on in detail. But it may be pointed out that a considerable quantity of the expressive material of music is manifestly representative of, or corresponding to, expressive gestures. The branch of dancing which consisted of such expressive gestures was one of the greatest importance, but it has almost entirely ceased to hold place among modern civilised nations. In music the traces of it are still to be met with, both in the finest examples of Sarabandes, and also, more subtly, in some of the most expressive passages of the greatest masters.

DANZI, FRANZ. Add days of birth and death, May 15 and April 13.

DARGOMYSKI, A. S. Add day of birth, Feb. 2.

DAVENPORT, Francis William, born 1847 at Wilderslowe, near Derby, was educated at University College, Oxford. He studied music under Sir George Macfarren, whose only daughter he married; was appointed a Professor at the Royal Academy of Music in 1879, and subsequently Examiner for the Local Examinations in connection therewith. In 1882 he was appointed a Professor at the Guildhall School of Music. Mr. Davenport's compositions include Symphonies, No. 1 in D minor (1st prize at the Alexandra Palace Competition, 1876), No. 2 in C; Overture 'Twelfth Night,' Viard-Louis Concerts, 1878; Prelude and Fugue for Orchestra, Crystal Palace, Nov. 1. 1879; six pieces for piano and 'cello, a selection from which was given at the Popular Concert, Nov. 24, 1879; four pieces for same; a Trio in B♭, Popular Concerts, Jan. 31, 1881, and again in 1882; two Part Songs—'Phyllis is my only joy,' and 'Sweet day, so cool'; three songs and many works in MS. He has written two books on music, viz. 'Elements of Music' (1884), and 'Elements of Harmony and Counterpoint' (1886).

[ A. C. ]

DAVID, Felicien. Correct date of birth to April 13. P. 433 a, l. 28, add that for seven years before his death he had held the post of librarian to the Conservatoire.

DAVIDE, Giacomo. P. 434 a, l. 10 from bottom, add inverted comma after the word 'Festivals.' P. 434 b, l. 17, for 1814 read 1816.

DAVIES, Fanny, a distinguished pianist, comes of a musical stock, her mother's father, John Woodhill, of Birmingham, having been well known in his day as a cello player. She was born in Guernsey. Her early instruction on the piano was given her by Miss Welchman and Charles Flavell, both of Birmingham. Harmony and counterpoint she studied there with Dr. Gaul. In 1882 she went to Leipzig for a year, and took lessons on the piano with Reinecke and Oscar Paul, and in fugue and counterpoint with Jadassohn. In September 1883 she removed to the Hoch Conservatorium at Frankfort, where she studied for two years in close intercourse with Madame Schumann, and where she acquired the accurate technique, the full tone, fine style, and power of phrasing, which encourage the hope that she may eventually become Madame Schumann's successor as a pianoforte player. At Frankfort she added to her musical knowledge by a year's study in fugue and composition under Dr. B. Scholz. Her first appearance in England was at the Crystal Palace, Oct. 17, 1885, in Beethoven's G major Concerto; on Nov. 16 she played at the Monday Popular Concerts (Chromatic Fantasia and Schumann's Quartet in E♭), and on April 15, 1886, Bennett's C minor Concerto at the Philharmonic. These were the beginnings of a series of constant engagements at all the leading concerts in town and country. In Berlin she first played with Joachim, Nov. 15, 1887, and at the Gewandhaus, Leipzig, Jan. 5, 1888.

[ G. ]

DAVIES, the Sisters. Add that Marianne was born in 1744, and first appeared at Hickford's rooms on April 30, 1751, when she played a concerto for the German flute, and a concerto by Handel on the harpsichord, besides singing some songs. There is no evidence to support the statement that the sisters were related to Benjamin Franklin. The date of Cecilia's birth is certainly later than 1740, and probably 1750 is the right date. Her first appearance seems not to have taken place till Aug. 10, 1767, in 'some favourite songs from the opera of Artaxerxes and Caractacus.' The date of the performance of the ode mentioned in lines 13, etc. of article, is June 27, 1769. She first appeared in Italian Opera in England in October, 1773, singing Sacchini's 'Lucio Vero,' on Nov. 20. In the following year she sang at the Hereford