Cherubini, memorials illustrative of his life and work

CONTENTS. PART I. THEATRICAL MUSIC. 1760-1808. CHAPTER I. 1760-1780. Cherubini's birth and parentage — He is taught music by his father, and, subsequently, by the two Felicis — His early compositions — He is placed under Bizzarri and Castrucci — Receives a pension from Leopold II., Grand-Duke of Tuscany, to study under Barti at Bologna — Sarti's method of teaching — Cherubini has to compose anthems in Palestrina's style — He inserts airs in Sarti's operas— Removes with his master to Milan, and intermits his regular studies 3 CHAPTER II. 1780-1788. II Quinto Fabio, Cherubini's first opera, produced at Alessandria, and followed by Armida at Florence, Adriano at Leghorn, II Messenzio at Florence, Quinto Fabio at Rome, Lo Sposo di Tre at Venice, L 1 Idalide at Florence, and L' Alessandro at Mantua — He goes to London and brings out La Finta Principessa and Giulio Sabino — Is introduced to the Prince of Wales — Visits Paris — Is presented by Viotti to Queen Marie Antoinette — Returns to England — Proceeds to Turin — Produces Ijigenia — Leaves Italy for good, and finally settles in Paris 16 CHAPTER III. 1788-1791. Cherubinis and Vogel's D&mophons — Marmontel's libretto — The Loge Olympique — Circe — The Bouffons — Cherubini is made Director of Italian Opera at the Tuileries — Inserts pieces of his own in the works put on the stage — His trials during the Revolution — He is forced to leave the Tuileries — Cherubini's and Kreutzer's Lodoiskas 31 CHAPTER IV. 1791-1795. The theatres at Paris — Flight of Viotti and the Bouffons — Cherubini takes refuge at La Chartreuse de Gaillon, in Normandy — La Liberty et la Palinodie a Nice — Kourkourgi — Lesueur and Cherubini — La Caveme — Death of Cherubini's father — Elisa — Foundation of the Conservatoire — Cherubini appointed one of the inspectors 61 CHAPTER V. 1795-1797. Solfeggi — Cherubini's pupils — His republican hymns — Foundation of the Institute — Cherubini's marriage — Notice of his children — The Medea 75 CHAPTER VI. 1797-1800. Napoleon and Cherubini — Their mutual antagonism — L'Hotellerie Portugaise — La Punition — The pasticcio La Prisonniere, by Boieldleu and Cherubini — The latter becomes one of the jury for examining works for the Grand Opera — Les Deux Joumies — Opinions on the opera — The Escapes , by Attwood 102 CHAPTER VII. 1800-1805. The pasticcio Epicure , by M6hul and Cherubini — Visit to Chartres — Napoleon again — Establishment of a Consular chapel — Paisiello made chapel-master — Anacreon — The overture — The ballet of Achille a Scyros — Cherubini visits Vienna with his wife and youngest daughter — Sees Haydn — Brings out Lodoiska and Les Deux Journees — Napoleon makes his entry into Vienna, and Cherubini conducts concerts for him there and at Schonbrunn — Commercial speculation of Steibelt and Cherubini — Napoleon leaves for Paris 130 CHAPTER VIII. 1805-1808. Beethoven's Fidelio and Cherubini's Faniska — Cherubini's relations with Beethoven and Hummel — His parting with Haydn — Returns to Paris — Spontini's La V estate — MShul's Joseph — Cherubini's canons — He becomes ill, and goes for his health to the Castle of Chimay, in Belgium 149 PART II. ECCLESIASTICAL MUSIC, 1808-1842. CHAPTER I. 1808-1809. Repose at Chimay — Origin of the Mass in F — Performance of the Eyrie and Gloria on St. Cecilia's Day — The whole work executed on Cherubini's return to Paris at the Hotel du Babylon — The later school of Church musio 173 CHAPTER II. 1809-1811. Pimmalione at the Tuileries — Napoleon — Le Chant sur le mort de Haydn — Ode for the Emperor's marriage — Litanies for Prince Esterhazy — Le Crescendo — The second Mass in D minor — Its construction and character 191 CHAPTER III. 1811-1816. Cherubini's Les Abenc&rages — The pasticcios Bayard et Mezibres and L'Orijlamme — He visits London a second time, and composes for the Philharmonic Society — Returns to Paris — Honours received on the restoration of the Bourbons — Becomes the king's chapel-master on the death of Martini — The Mass in C — Requiem in C minor 206 CHAPTER IV. 1816-1822. The Iste Dies and Regina Coeli — The Hymn to Bacchus — The Coronation Mass in G — Spohr in Paris : his intercourse with Cherubini — Moscheles — Blanche de Provence for the Duke of Bordeaux's baptism at Notre Dame — Its performance at the Court Theatre — Cantata at the Hotel de Ville — Resignation of Peme as Director of the Conservatoire — Cherubini appointed in his stead — His rule — His character 235 CHAPTER V. 1822-1825. The Pensionnat — The Society des Concerts — Their origin — Cherubini's cooperation — The smaller concerts — The Inclina Domine — Beethoven's Mass in D, and letter to Cherubini — Cherubini and Liszt — The Coronation Mass in A, at Rheims, for the crowning of Charles I 275 CHAPTER VI. 1825-1830. Cherubini and Mendelssohn — Berlioz enters the Conservatoire — Antagonism between him and Cherubini — Their first interview and subsequent relations — O Salutaris for Boieldieu's marriage — Cherubini's quartets — Baillot and the one in E flat — Abolition of the King's chapel 296 CHAPTER VII. 1880-1836. Cherubini at Catel's funeral — The pasticcio La Marquise de Brinvilliers — Choron, Reicha — Ali Baba , Cherubini's last opera — Intended visit to Italy— At Boieldieu's funeral — Treatise on Counterpoint and Fugue — The second Requiem in D minor, Cherubini's last Mass 322 CHAPTER VIII. 1836-1842. Berlioz's Requiem — Cherubini's Quintet in E minor — Ingres' Portrait — M. Turcas — Death of Cherubini — His obsequies — Honours paid to his memory — Monument at Florence — Conclusion 353 A Chronological Catalogue op Cherubini's Works 379 Appendix 414 Index 417 Digitized by Google.