Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 2.djvu/155

LINDLEY. for music that when he was about 5 years of age, his father, an amateur performer, commenced teaching him the violin, and at 9 years of age, the violoncello also. He continued to practise the latter until he was 16, when Cervetto, hearing him play, encouraged him and undertook his gratuitous instruction. He quitted Yorkshire and obtained an engagement at the Brighton theatre. In 1794 he succeeded Sperati as principal violoncello at the Opera and all the principal concerts, and retained undisputed possession of that position until his retirement in 1851. Lindley's tone was remarkable for its purity, richness, mellowness and volume, and in this respect he has probably never been equalled. His technique, for that date, was remarkable, and his accompaniment of recitative was perfection. He composed several concertos and other works for his instrument, but his composition was by no means equal to his execution. He died June 13, 1855. His daughter married John Barnett the composer.

His son,, born 1802, was also a violoncellist. He was a pupil of his father and first appeared in public in 1817 and soon took a position in all the best orchestras. He gave great promise of future excellence, but was unable to achieve any prominence owing to extreme nervousness. He died at Manchester, Aug. 12, 1869. [ W. H. H. ]

LINDPAINTNER,, born at Coblenz Dec. 8, 1791, studied the violin, piano, and counterpoint at Augsburg, and subsequently appears to have received some instruction at Munich from Winter. In 1812 he accepted the post of Musik-director at the Isarthor theatre in Munich, and whilst so engaged completed his musical studies under Jos. Grätz, an excellent contrapuntist. In 1819 he was appointed Kapellmeister to the Royal Band at Stuttgart, and held that post until his death, which took place Aug. 21, 1856, during a summer holiday at Nonnenhorn, on the Lake of Constance. He was buried at Wasserburg. He died full of honours, a member of almost every musical institution of the Continent, and the recipient of gifts from many crowned heads—amongst others a medal from Queen Victoria, in 1848, for the dedication of his oratorio of Abraham.

By quiet and persistent labour he raised his band to the level of the best in Germany, and acquired a very high reputation. 'Lindpaintner,' says Mendelssohn, describing a visit to Stuttgart in 1831, 'is in my belief the best conductor in Germany; it is as if he played the whole orchestra with his baton alone; and he ia very industrious.' Of the many professional engagements offered him in other towns and foreign countries, he accepted but one, and that, in 1853, three years before his death, was to conduct the New Philharmonic Concerts in London, at which his cantata The Widow of Nain, his overtures to Faust and the Vampyre, and others of his compositions were given with success, including the song of The Standard-bearer, at that time so popular, sung by Pischek. [App. p.701 "Add that in 1854 he conducted several of the New Philharmonic Concerts."] He wrote 28 operas, 3 ballets, 5 melodramas and oratorios, several cantatas, 6 masses, a Stabat Mater, and above 50 songs with pianoforte accompaniment. To these were added symphonies, overtures, concertos, fantasias, trios and quartets for different instruments. He rescored Judas Maccabæus, no doubt cleverly, and at the time it was said, well. Some of his symphonies, his operas 'Der Vampyr' and 'Lichtenstein,' his ballet 'Joko,' the overture to which is still heard at concerts, his music to Goethe's 'Faust' and Schiller's 'Song of the Bell,' have been pronounced to be among the best of his works. And two of his songs, 'The Standard-bearer' and 'Roland,' created at the time a veritable furore.

Though wanting in depth and originality Lindpaintner's compositions please by their clearness and brilliancy, melody and well-developed form; and the hand of a clever and practised musician is everywhere visible in them. [ A. H. W. ]

LINLEY,, born 1774 at Doncaster, blind from his birth, studied music under Dr. Miller, and became an able organist. He was chosen organist of St. James's Chapel, Pentonville, and soon afterwards married a blind lady of considerable fortune. He purchased the business of Bland, the music-seller in Holborn [App. p.701 "in 1796"], but his affairs becoming embarrassed, his wife parted from him and he went to America, where his playing and compositions were much admired. He returned to England in 1799 and died in Oct. 1800 [App. p.701 "Sept. 15"]. His works consist of songs, pianoforte and organ pieces, flute solos and duets, and an 'Organ Tutor.' His greatest amusement was to explore churchyards and read the inscriptions on the tombstones by the sense of touch. [ W. H. H. ]

LINLEY,, born about 1725 [App. p.701 "The correct date of birth is probably 1732, since he was said at the time of his death to be 63 years old."] at Wells, Somerset, commenced the study of music under Thomas Chilcot, organist of Bath Abbey church, and completed his education under Paradies. He established himself as a singing master at Bath, and for many years carried on the concerts there with great success. On the retirement of John Christopher Smith in 1774 Linley joined Stanley in the management of the oratorios at Drury Lane, and on the death of Stanley in 1786 continued them in partnership with Dr. Arnold. In 1775, in conjunction with his eldest son, Thomas, he composed and compiled the music for 'The Duenna,' by his son-in-law, Sheridan, which had the then unparalleled run of 75 nights in its first season. In 1776 he purchased part of Garrick's share in Drury Lane, removed to London and undertook the management of the music of the theatre, for which he composed several pieces of merit. Linley died at his house in Southampton Street, Covent Garden, Nov. 19, 1795, and was buried in Wells Cathedral. His dramatic pieces were 'The Duenna,' 1775; 'Seliina and Azor' (chiefly from Grétry, but containing the charming original melody, 'No flower that blows'), 1776; 'The Camp,' 1778; 'The Carnival of Venice,' 'The Gentle Shepherd,' and 'Robinson Crusoe,' 1781; 'The Triumph of Mirth,' 1782; 'The Spanish Rivals,' 1784; 'The Strangers at home,' and 'Richard Cœur de Lion' (from Gretry), 1786; and 'Love in the East,' 1788; besides the song