Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 3.djvu/171

ROOT. uses with such marked emphasis in the 3rd bar of the Allegro in the overture to Don Giovanni is properly a minor ninth, as some maintain—since happily the roots would be the same in both cases. [ C. H. H. P. ]

RORE,, composer of the Venetian school, born at Mechlin in 1516. He studied under Willaert, chapel-master of St. Mark's, Venice, and was probably in early life a singer in that cathedral. In 1542 he brought out his first book of madrigals (à 4), a work long held in favour, and for the next 7 or 8 years published continually. About 1550 he appears to have left Venice for the court of Hercules II. Duke of Ferrara, and for some years we hear nothing of him. In 1559 he returned to Venice to assist Willaert in his duties at St. Mark's, and on the death of that master, was appointed his successor, Oct. 18, 1563. He resigned this position almost immediately [App. p.775 "after about eighteen months"], and went to the court of Parma, where in a few months he died, at the age of 49. He was buried in the cathedral of that city, and the following epitaph gives an authentic sketch of his life.

The position to which Rore attained at St. Mark's, and the rank as a musician which contemporary writers assigned him, point to his having been something besides a madrigal composer. Yet of his church compositions either in print or in MS. few have survived. We only know that they were held in high esteem in the court chapel at Munich, and were constantly performed there under Lassus' direction. Duke Albert of Bavaria caused a superb copy of Rore's motets to be made for his library, where it remains to this day, with a portrait of the composer on the last page, by the court painter Mielich. [ J. R. S.-B. ]

ROSA (ROSE),, was born at Hamburg, March 22, 1843, was educated as a violin player and made such progress as to be sent to the Leipzig Conservatorium, which he entered in 1859. In 1866 he came to England and appeared as a solo player at the Crystal Palace on March 10. After a short stay in London he joined Mr. Bateman in a concert-tour in the United States, and there met Madame Parepa, whom he married at New York, in Feb. 1867. His wife's success on the stage led to the formation of a company under the management and conductorship of Mr. Rose, which during its early campaigns could boast such names as Parepa, Wachtel, Santley, ../Ronconi/ and Formes among its artists.

Early in 1871 Mr. Rose—who by this time had changed his name to Rosa to avoid mistakes in pronunciation—returned to England with his wife, and then made a lengthened visit to Egypt for health. After this they again returned to London, but only for the lamented death of Madame Parepa-Rosa, which took place Jan. 21, 1874. Mr. Rosa however was resolved, notwithstanding this serious blow, to test the fortunes of English opera in London, and on Sept. 11, 1875, he opened the Princess's Theatre with a company including Miss Rose Hersee as prima donna, Mr. Santley, and other good singers. He closed on Oct. 30, having produced Figaro, Faust, * The Porter of Havre (Cagnoni), Fra Diavolo, Bohemian Girl, Trovatore, *The Water Carrier (Cherubini), and Siege of Rochelle.

The season of 1876 was undertaken at the Lyceum (Sept. 11–Dec. 2). It included The Water Carrier; The Lily of Killarney (with additions); Sonnambula; Faust; *Giralda (Adam); Bohemian Girl; *Flying Dutchman; Zampa; Trovatore; Montana; *Joconde (Nicolò); Fidelio; Fra Diavolo; *Pauline (Cowen); Porter of Havre. The next season was at the Adelphi Theatre (Feb. 11–April 6, 1878). It included *The Golden Cross, by Brüll; The Merry Wives; The Flying Dutchman; The Lily of Killarney, and others of those already named. For the fourth season Mr. Rosa took Her Majesty's Theatre (Jan. 27–March 22, 1879), brought out *Rienzi, *Piccolino (by Guiraud) and *Carmen, and played The Golden Cross, Huguenots, Lily of Killarney, etc., etc. His fifth season was at the same theatre (Jan. 10–March 6, 1880); *Mignon (Thomas), *Lohengrin and *Aida were all produced for the first time in English; and The Taming of the Shrew