Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 1.djvu/57

 Wittenberg, renowned in his own day as a printer of music. This excellent man printed many of Agricola's works, of which the following may be named amongst others:—'Ein kurtz deutsche Musica,' 1528; 'Musica instrumentalis deudsch,' 1529, '32, '45; 'Musica figuralis deudsch,' 1532; 'Von den Proportionibus'; 'Rudimenta Musices,' 1539. The list of the rest will be found in Draudius' 'Bibliotheca Classica,' p. 1650; Walther's 'Lexicon'; Marpurg's 'Beiträge,' vol. v; Forkel's 'Literature,' and Gerber's 'Dictionary.' Mattheson in his 'Ephorus' (p. 124) praises him for having been the first to abolish the 'ancient tablature,' and adopt the system of notation which we still employ. But this is inaccurate. All that Agricola proposed was a new 'tablature' for the lute, better than the old one. On the conflict between the old and new notation, Agricola's writings are full of interest, and they must be studied by every one who wishes to have an accurate view of that revolution. But unfortunately they are both rare and costly. [ F. G. ]

AGRICOLA,, lived about the middle of the 17th century, composed a 'Fasciculus Musicalis' (Wurzburg and Cologne, 1651), of masses, and 'Fasciculus variarum cantionuin,' of motetts.

AGTHE,, born at Hettstädt, 1739; died at Ballenstedt, 1797; organist, composer of six operas, three pianoforte sonatas (Leipsic, 1790), and a collection of Lieder (Dessau, 1782). His son, W. J., born at Ballenstedt, 1790, in 1810 settled at Leipsic, and 1823 at Dresden as teacher of Logier's system, under the approval of C. M. von Weber, and in 1826 founded a similar establishment at Posen. Later he was at Berlin. Kullak is his best-known pupil. [ M. C. C. ]

AGUADO,, born in Madrid, 1784, a remarkable performer on the guitar; received his chief instruction from Garcia, the great singer. In 1825 he went to Paris, where he associated with the most eminent artistes of the day, till 1838, when he returned to Madrid, and died there in 1849. His method for the guitar, an excellent work of its kind, passed through three editions in Spain (Madrid, 1825-1843) and one in Paris (1827). He also published 'Colleccion de los Etudios para la guitarra' (Madrid, 1820), 'Colleccion de Andantes,' etc., and other works for his instrument. [ M. C. C. ]

AGUILERA DE HEREDIA,, a monk and Spanish composer at the beginning of the 17th century. His chief work was a collection of Magnificats for four five, six, seven, and eight voices, many of which are still sung in the cathedral of Saragosa, where he directed the music, and at other churches in Spain.

AGUJARI,, a very celebrated singer, who supplies an extraordinary example of the fashion of nicknaming musicians; for, being a natural child of a noble, she was always announced in the playbills and newspapers as La Bastardina, or Bastardella. She was born at Ferrara in 1743, instructed in a convent by the P. Lambertini, and made her début at Florence in 1764. Her triumph was brilliant, and she was eagerly engaged for all the principal towns, where she was enthusiastically received. She did not excel in expression, but in execution she surpassed all rivals. The extent of her register was beyond all comparison. Sacchini said he had heard her sing as high as B&#x266d; in altissimo, and she had two good octaves below: but Mozart himself heard her at Parma in 1770, and says of her that she had 'a lovely voice, a flexible throat, and an incredibly high range. She sang the following notes and passages in my presence:—

Ten years later, in speaking of Mara, he says, 'She has not the good fortune to please me. She does too little to be compared to a Bastardella—though that is her peculiar style—and too much to touch the heart like an Aloysia Weber.' Leopold Mozart says of her, 'She is not handsome nor yet ugly, but has at times a wild look in the eyes, like people who are subject to convulsions, and she is lame in one foot. Her conduct formerly was good; she has, consequently, a good name and reputation.

Agujari made a great sensation in the carnival of 1774 at Milan, in the serious opera of 'Il Tolomeo,' by Colla, and still more in a cantata by the same composer. In 1780 she married