Part 14 (2/2)
The subject of our present sketch, at the age of three years, commenced his infantine attentions to the violin, under the tuition of his own father, and of the father of our talented composer, George Macfarren. In 1812, young Oury became the pupil of three eminent professors-Mori, Spagnoletti, and Kiesewetter. In 1820, he heard Spohr for the first time: as a result of the impression then received, his perseverance became so great, that, for the s.p.a.ce of seven months, he practised no less than fourteen hours a-day! In the same year, he went to Paris, to study under those magnates of the modern French School of the Violin-Baillot, Kreutzer, and Lafont. From each of these masters (and without the knowledge of the others) our young artist managed to take two lessons a week, for several successive winters, at the same time studying composition under Monsieur Fetis. He then made his _debut_ at the London Philharmonic Society, at the Concert given for the widow and family of his late master, Kiesewetter. He also became a member of the ”Ancient Concerts,” Philharmonic, and Opera orchestras, and joint leader with Francois Cramer, at the Birmingham, York, Leicester, and Derby Musical Festivals-and also made several operatic tours in Ireland and elsewhere.
In 1826, Oury was engaged as Leader of the Ballet, Sub-Leader of the Opera, and Solo-Violin, at the King's Theatre; and, as successor of Mori and Lacy, he held this tripart.i.te post for five years-displaying, whensoever the occasion permitted, the graces of a light and free execution.
In 1831, Mr. Oury married the distinguished pianiste, Mad??? Belleville, whose father had also been an officer of Napoleon's, and was afterwards French Tutor to the Princesses of Bavaria. His first trip with Madame Oury was to Liverpool, as Leader of De Begnis' Italian Opera, where they gave, conjointly with Paganini, a grand Concert at the Theatre Royal, in behalf of the local poor. In 1832, they left England for Hamburgh, Berlin, St. Petersburgh, and Moscow, giving (in all) twenty-three Concerts, during a residence of two years, in Russia, and returning (after playing at the Imperial Court) to Berlin. They next visited Leipzig, Dresden, Prague, and Vienna-making a brilliant sojourn of two years in the Austrian capital. Mr. Oury visited Pesth and Buda, alone and gave seven Concerts, with great success and profit; played in presence of the Imperial Court, at the Bourge Theatre, Vienna, and returned to Munich. Again (accompanied by Madame Oury) he gave Concerts in all the princ.i.p.al towns of the Rhine, till they arrived in Holland, where Madame Oury was attacked by a serious illness, which interrupted a number of professional engagements. After a successful tour, however, to all the chief towns of Holland, they returned to Dusseldorf, on the occasion of the first performance of Mendelssohn's Oratorio of ”Paulus.”
At Aix-la-Chapelle, they gave Concerts in conjunction with their friends Malibran and De Beriot-visited Belgium-played at the Court-and then resided two years in Paris, with Paganini, at the _Neotherme_. During this period, Mr. Oury entered the orchestra of ”Les Italiens” (then performing at the _Odeon_), and made himself conversant with the operas of Donizetti, under the author's own conducting. Subsequently, he returned to England, after an absence of nine years.
In 1846 and 47, again visiting Italy, Mr. Oury and his accomplished partner gave Concerts at Rome, Naples, Venice and Milan, and returned to England in 1848. Mr. Oury next accepted the post of Leader of the Seconds, on the notable occasion of Mr. Balfe's forming a new orchestra (to meet the opposition of the Royal Italian Opera), at Covent Garden.
Before taking leave of the subject of this notice, a few particulars remain to be added. Mr. Oury, with his accomplished wife, has composed a number of brilliant Drawing-Room Duetts Concertante, for piano and violin, which have procured their _entree_ to most of the musical saloons and Courts of Europe. Mr. Oury has had no scanty share of honours bestowed on him-such as the being appointed one of the Professors at the Royal Academy of Music in London, at the time of its foundation-a member of several Continental Philharmonic Societies-and an honorary member of the Academy and Congregation of St. Cecilia, at Rome.
By these distinctions, it is sufficiently denoted that he has secured to himself a reputation through a large part of musical Europe.
It has been said, that a sense of injustice during the encounter with professional jealousies in the home field of exertion, first drove this clever artist to take a wider range, and visit continental cities. If so, he has no reason to regret the event, having abundantly ”seen the world,” and gathered of its laurels to any reasonable heart's content.
Among the professional pupils whom Mr. Oury has had the honour of aiding in their early practice, may be mentioned the well-known composers, George Macfarren and Sterndale Bennett, and (of amateurs) that distinguished dilettante and cla.s.sical violinist, the present Earl Falmouth.
JOSEPH HAYDON BOURNE DANDO, well-ent.i.tled to honourable mention among English violin-players, was born at Somers Town, in the year 1806. At an early age he had developed a taste for music, and, under the guidance of his uncle, Signor Brandi, attained to considerable facility of execution on his instrument.
In 1819, he was placed under the tuition of Mori with whom he continued his studies (off and on) for about seven years, although no great cordiality appears to have been established between them. They were, in fact, of essentially different temperaments. After some years of practical training, during which he had mastered most of the difficulties written as _concertos_ and _studies_ for the violin-finding the influence, as well as the disposition, of his master, opposed to the display of his acquirements in what may be termed musical gymnastics, our young artist wisely (and, for the advancement of musical taste in this country, fortunately) turned his genius and talents to useful account, in studying and ill.u.s.trating the higher order of beauties contained in those charming works which had been written, by some of the great masters in composition, for ”chamber-performance;”
more especially the _quartetts_ of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Spohr, &c.
Although opportunities for exhibiting his proficiency, as a solo-player, were restricted, they could not be entirely suppressed. Enough has transpired to warrant us in the conclusion, that, with a fair field, Mr.
Dando might, in that branch of his art, at the present day, have stood second to none. As a _quartett-player_, he has achieved a reputation which places him in the front rank of contemporary violinists.
Any notice of Mr. Dando's professional career, which should pretend to throw a light on his progress and present position as an artist, must necessarily include much that properly belongs to a history of the rise and progress of Quartett-performances in England. It is to him, probably, that we are indebted, not only for the first public introduction of the Quartett in London, but also, in a great degree, for our present familiar acquaintance with those elegant works, which have of late years so largely contributed to the increase of our musical enjoyment. A license may therefore be reasonably solicited for diverging into matter which, under other circ.u.mstances, might appear foreign to the purpose of a mere biographical sketch. It is presumed, however, that no apology will be required for crossing the strict boundary line, by stating some of the following particulars; seeing that they, in reality, are quite _apropos_ of the general design of this work, and come with propriety under the present section of it.
From his youth upwards, Mr. Dando's society appears to have been courted, and his talents appreciated, by most of the amateurs of music in that part of our metropolis designated as the City, where more intimately he was known, owing to early introduction; and where his agreeable manners, added to his professional merits, contributed to the formation of some lasting friends.h.i.+ps, as well as valuable connexions.
Of these gentlemen, some were well skilled in the performance of the favourite works of the great quartett writers; and a larger number were qualified to form an accurate estimate of their merits. The charm of Mr.
Dando's style, as a quartett-player, had in due time (about the year 1834-5) rendered the fact apparent to his friends, that the choice works of those masters, which were the delight of the initiated, still remained ”a sealed book,” not only to the general public, but even to the ordinary _habitue_ of the concert-room; and it was thought that they only required a fair introduction, to secure to them that favour in public, which they so largely attracted in those private musical circles where they were familiarly known. Accordingly, in the year 1835, a subscription was opened amongst the amateurs-Mr. Dando's more immediate admirers-for the purpose of submitting some of these works to more open notice. An occasion of distress was selected as an excuse for an evening's public performance of quartetts, trios, &c. the profits of which were to be presented to a worthy individual who had fallen into pecuniary difficulties, and was about to quit our sh.o.r.es, to better his fortunes in America. A party was formed, with Mr. Dando at its head, and the First (as far as we have been able to ascertain) Public Quartett Concert in this country, was given on the 23rd September, 1835, at the Horn Tavern, Doctors'-Commons. This presentation was the commencement of an epoch in the musical history of this country. On the occasion, the amateurs mastered in force, and brought their friends, to support the two-fold object they had espoused. The evening pa.s.sed away in raptures.
A second public trial was immediately undertaken, and announced for the 12th October, in the same year; and then a third (on the 26th October), each, in succession, proving more widely attractive than its predecessors. So unequivocal was the success of these experiments on public taste, and such was the _furore_ excited in the musical world by them, that from these performances may be dated the _establishment_ of Quartett Concerts in this country.
As might be expected, the first blow so effectively struck, led, by its own impulse, to a regular series, which followed at rapid intervals (first at the same rooms, and afterwards at the London Tavern), between the 13th January, 1836, and the 31st January, 1838, two consecutive seasons.
In the mean time, an early spark had fired the train, and the idea extended to the west end of the town, where a company of talented professors combined to set on foot a sequence of similar attractions; and four had been quickly announced under the t.i.tle of ”Concerti da Camera,” at the Hanover Square Rooms, for the 7th and 21st of November, 5th and 19th of December, 1835. At the fourth of these meetings, Mr.
Dando was engaged to play the princ.i.p.al _viola_ part in Spohr's Third Double Quartett. The effect of his performance of the part was notable; inasmuch as it led to an immediate invitation from Messrs. H. G.
Blagrove and Lucas (the princ.i.p.al Violin and Violoncello on that occasion) to join _them_ in the formation of a select party, for the more perfect study and presentation of Quartetts and other chamber instrumental compositions, which, by this time, were beginning to attract universal attention. Mr. Dando acceded to the proposition, and enrolled himself as the tenor-player of a party which was completed by the subsequent adhesion of Mr. Henry Gattie, as second violinist. The party, thus const.i.tuted, brought before the public the first of their ”Quartett Concerts” at the Hanover Square Rooms, on the evening of the 17th March, 1836, with a completeness of effect in the _ensemble_, that threw all prior performances of their kind into the shade.
Under the impression produced by an audience of these interesting confederates, was penned the piece of panegyric that here-under asks the indulgent attention of such of my readers as are tolerant of verse:-
Happy the man of taste that's led Hither, to have his cravings fed!
He who this dainty circle nears, Takes in _ambrosia_ at the ears, Through a new sense, revives a fable, And finds a feast that needs no table!
When thus _as one_ are met these _four_, What treat can Music yield us more?
Ye birds, that haunt by night or day grove, Yield, yield in _dulcetry_ to _Blagrove_!
Say, is he not, while warbling now, Well worthy of a _topmost bough_?
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