Bassani of Bologna, were his instructors; from the latter of whom, besides the melodious grace that characterizes his writing, he inherited the pre-eminence on his instrument by which he soon surpassed even his honoured master. There is a statement that at the age of nineteen he visited Paris, where the jealousy of Lulli excited such cabals against him, that he was obliged to leave without obtaining a fair hearing for his talent; the authority for this account, however, is questionable. In 1680 Corelli made a tour in Germany, and was engaged by the duke of Bavaria, at whose court he remained for two years. He left this appointment to return to Italy, when he took up his permanent residence at Rome. There he published in 1683 his first work, consisting of twelve trios for two violins and bass. Cardinal Ottoboni, a distinguished supporter of art, now became his special patron , he appointed him his violinist, and made him director of his private chapel, and retained him in his service till the close of his career. It was at the weekly concerts of this munificent nobleman, that Corelli gained his world-wide reputation, both as a player and as an orchestral director, in the exercise of which latter capacity he was so strict a disciplinarian, that he compelled all his band to play with the same bowing, and thus procured an effect of precision which was as powerful upon the ear as striking to the eye. In 1685 he was engaged in a theoretical dispute, occasioned by a passage in one of his works, with G. P. Colonna, which was of great service to the reputation of the latter. Corelli's music evinces less depth of contrapuntal knowledge than superficial grace and sweetness; and he showed small jugement in entering into a discussion which technical training did not qualify him to maintain. From the year 1690 he was associated with Pasquim, a harpsichord player, and Gartani, a lutanist, in the conduct of the opera at Rome, the performances of which rose to a degree of excellence under their direction that had never before been approached. Corelli's fourth set of sonatas was first printed in 1694 with a dedication to his cardinal. In 1700 he published his well-known twelve solos, op. 5, which were dedicated to Sophia Charlotte, electress of Brandenburg. His pupil, Gemiani, transmits several anecdotes of Corelli's visit to Naples, the date of which, however, has not reached us. This was not undertaken until he had been repeatedly invited by the king; it gave him an opportunity to meet and to receive the most considerate attentions from Alessandro Scarlatti. He was greatly surprised to observe the superior condition of musical execution common at Naples than then prevailed at Rome. Accident—arising from a want of presence of mind, which was very extraordinary in a man so long habituated, as was Corelli, to control others—led to his making a less fortunate appearance on this occasion than was expected from an artist of his eminent talents; the consequence of which was that, with an exaggerated idea of his non-success, he secretly quitted Naples and returned to Rome. As powerfully as this circumstance illustrated the diffidence of his character, does another, in which he was concerned with Handel, exemplify his quiet manner and his gentle temper. It was at a rehearsal of the young German's cantata, Il Trionfo del Tempo, when the composer grew impatient at the spiritless style in which the overture was played, and snatched the violin from Corelli to show him the more animated way in which he wished it to be executed; and the great leader calmly observed, "But, my dear Saxon, this music is in the French style, which I do not understand." Corelli had the mortification in his latter days to find himself slighted in favour of men of far inferior merit, whose novelty was almost their only recommendation to the suffrages of the fickle Roman public; and this acted sensibly, if not fatally, upon his spirits. His prompt appreciation of the talent of others, especially in his own peculiar province of the art, was a distinguishing trait in his character; and the many incidents which prove this, as strongly show the injustice of such a man's falling into any kind of disesteem. He was an intelligent admirer of pictures, and the intimate friend of the two celebrated painters, Carlo Cignani and Carlo Maratti. Let us suppose that the pleasure this kindly genial man derived from the contemplation of the productions of a sister art, may have compensated him for whatever neglect he experienced in the exercise of his own. His seventh and last publication, the twelve "Concerti Grossi," appeared but a month before his death. Johann Wilhelm, prince palatine of the Rhine, to whom this work was inscribed, repaid the compliment by erecting a monument to the memory of the composer over his mortal remains. That memory has been better preserved in the nobler monument with which his own name is associated, the still esteemed concertos. Corelli's obsequies were celebrated with great solemnity, under the arrangement of his patron the cardinal; and so long as one of his pupils was alive to direct the performance, the anniversary of his funeral was always kept by the execution of some of his music over his grave. Corelli bequeathed his valuable collection of pictures, and a large sum he had amassed, to Cardinal Ottoboni, who, however, accepted only the former, and distributed the money among the musician's poor relations.
This distinguished man must be regarded as the founder of the great Roman school of violin playing. His writing is as remarkable for its more clearly defined melody than that of any instrumental music which preceded it, as his playing was famous for its grace and languishing tenderness. Although the average executive skill of the present time immeasurably exceeds that of Corelli, the greatest master of his age, yet his works now form the basis of the study of every violinist, as the true principles of the art can better be acquired from them than from any existing compositions for the instruments. Of his many admirable pupils, Gemiani became the most celebrated, and may be said to have imported his style into this country. Tartini, though not Corelli's immediate disciple, was a follower of his school, and developed his principles; he was, in fact, the medium of the influence of the great original on the players of our day.—G. A. M.
CORIOLANUS, Caius Marcius, a noble Roman, so surnamed for his heroic conduct at the capture of Corioli, a town of the Volsci. He first rose into notice in the wars which followed the expulsion of Tarquin, where he obtained as a reward for his valour the coveted distinction of the civic crown. His bravery in the attack on Corioli, and his generosity in refusing to accept more than his own share of the plunder of that town, raised him at one time to great popularity among the Romans, and he was induced to become a candidate for the consulship; but the people, afraid of his haughtiness and ambition, and incensed at his determined opposition to the tribunitian power, refused to confer that dignity upon him. Attached from his youth to the interests of the patrician order, and accustomed to pay little regard to the masses of the people, Coriolanus now openly advocated measures which had for their object the diminution of the popular influence in the state. A dispute about the distribution of certain supplies of corn furnished an opportunity of calling him to account; and after undergoing a formal trial, he was sentenced to perpetual banishment. Exasperated at what he deemed to be the basest ingratitude, he retired to Antium, encouraged the Volsci to declare war against Rome, and received from them the command of the army destined to invade his native country. Marching up to the very walls of the city, which was quite unprepared for so sudden an attack, he threatened to destroy it, unless the Romans would submit to his humiliating demands; but relented at last on the appeal of a band of Roman matrons, who, headed by his own mother and wife, came out to entreat him to spare his country. He returned to Antium, where, according to one account, he was murdered by the Volsci for his defection. Other accounts state that he lived among them to an advanced age.—W. M.
CORK. See Boyle.
CORKINE, William, a distinguished musician of the early part of the seventeenth century, patronized by Sir Edward Herbert, Sir William Hardy, Sir Robert Rich, and Sir Edward Dymmocke "the king's champion." He published two books of "Ayres to sing and play to the Lute and Basse-Violl," the first in 1610, the second in 1612. They contain many "ayres" of great beauty.—E. F. R.
* CORMENIN, Loris Marie de la Haie, Viscount de, born on the 6th January, 1788. Although this celebrated man has figured as a writer on law and on morals, and has taken a practical part in the foundation of several charitable institutions, yet his fame has been altogether acquired by those pamphlets, bearing the signature of "Timon," with which he assailed Louis Philippe and his government. As the throne of the monarch of the barricades eventually succumbed to the attacks of the opposition, any one who obtained the credit of having directly aided in bringing about the fall of the dynasty of July became during the days of February, 1848, an object of conspicuous attention. No public writer did more to damage the reputation of Louis Philippe than Timon; and although M. de Cormenin never
