Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 4.djvu/232

216 valve tubing be one-eighth the length of the instrument, and the third valve tubing one-fifth, the length of the instrument being unity; one-fifth added thereto will lengthen it in the right proportion to lower its pitch a minor third—i.e. from C to A♮. To produce G, we should be able to lower the instrument one tone from A♮, but the first valve will increase the length only one-eighth of unity, and not one-eighth (of 1+⅕). G will therefore be somewhat sharp.

Thus far with reference to instruments with three valves, but the defect is aggravated in those with four. Any actual lengthening of the valve slides by mechanism connected with the valve is practically inadmissible, as the lightness and rapidity of action of the valve would be thereby interfered with, but in the compensating pistons a lengthening of the valve slides is brought about as follows. The tubing connected with the third valve is passed through the first and second in such a way that when the third is pressed down, the vibrating column of air passes through passages in the first and second, in addition to the two passages in the third, as in the common arrangement; and for the purpose of bringing additional tubing into action in connection with the first and second valves, as required for correct intonation (when they are either or both used in combination with the third), two air passages are added to each of these valves, and in connection with each pair of passages a loop or circuit of tube of the required length, which is added to the effective length of the instrument only when the third valve is used in connection with the others. Such additional tubing compensates for the lowering of the pitch due to pressing down the third valve. No extra moving parts are introduced, and the established fingering is preserved.

The writer has examined the system, and finds it to work with ease, and to add only a few ounces to the weight of the instrument.[ W. H. S. ]

VAMPYR, DER. Opera in 4 acts; words by C. G. Häser, music by Marschner. Produced at Leipzig March 28, 1828; in London, at the Theatre Royal English Opera House, in 3 acts, Aug. 25, 1829. [ G. ]

VAN BREE,, son of a musician, born at Amsterdam, Jan. 29, 1801. He was taught chiefly by his father, and first came before the public as a player of the violin, on which he was much renowned in Holland. In 1829 he was appointed conductor of the Society of Amsterdam, and held the post with great distinction till his death Feb. 14, 1857. Van Bree was an industrious composer, and left behind him a mass of works in all the regular departments of music. In England he is known to Choral Societies by three masses for men's voices, and a cantata for St. Cecilia's Day, all published by Novellos. Van Bree was the founder (1840) of the Cecilien-Vereen of Amsterdam, which he conducted till his death, and was also head of the music school of the Society for the encouragement of music (Maatschapjj tot bevordering der Toonkunst). [App. p.807 "Add that he wrote several masses and other works beside those mentioned in the article."] [ G. ]

VAN DEN EEDEN,, Beethoven's first instructor in music. Of his birth and death nothing seems to be known, but he was doubtless son or nephew of Heinrich van den Eede, who in 1695 was Hofmusicus to the then Elector of Cologne. In 1722 the name occurs again as a vocalist, but the first certain mention of Gilles is in 1728, when he represents to the Elector that he has been employed as organist for a year and a half without pay, on which 100 gulden is allotted him, increased, on his further petition (July 5, 1729), to 200 gulden. He thus entered the Elector's service before Beethoven's grand-father. [See vol. i. p. 162 b]. In 1780 we find him as teacher to the little Ludwig: when the teaching began or of what it consisted beyond the organ is not known. There is reason to believe however that Beethoven had no instructor in composition before. He often spoke of his old teacher, with many stories which have not been preserved. In 1784 Van den Eeden's name has vanished from the lists. [App. p.807 "See also vol. ii. p. 450b, where the date of his death is given as June 29, 1782."] [ G. ]

VANDER STRAETEN,, distinguished Belgian musician, and writer on music, and author of 'La Musique aux Pays-Bas,' a work still in progress and destined to be a monument of erudition and research—was born at Oudenarde in Flanders, Dec. 3, 1826. He was educated for the law, first at Alost, and afterwards in the University of Ghent. On his return to Oudenarde, he continued the cultivation of his taste for music, in combination with numismatics and archæology, the last-named pursuit powerfully influencing the determination of his career. While in his native town he organised and directed performances of excerpts from operatic works, and in 1849 himself set to music a three-act drama, entitled 'Le Proscrit.' At this early age he began that research in the rich musical archives of his native country which he has since given to the public in his literary works. M. Vander Straeten next became secretary to Fétis, who was then Director of the Brussels Conservatoire, at the same time continuing his studies in harmony and counterpoint, the latter under Fétis, with whom he entered into active collaboration, in cataloguing the historical section of the Royal Library and contributing numerous articles to Fétis's biographical dictionary. He thus spent fourteen years in preparation for his own historical productions. During this time he acted as musical critic to 'Le Nord,' 'L'Écho du Parlement,' and 'L'Étoile Beige,' and wrote, as well, in various reviews. Although adoring the southern genius of Rossini, he never ceased to advocate the claims of Weber, and also of Wagner, as his operas came out.

The first volume of 'La Musique aux Pays-Bas' appeared in 1867, and marks the period of his entire devotion to the publication of his archæological discoveries. He had formed an important library of materials for the musical history of the Low Countries, and had also collected musical instruments bearing upon his studies, including his beautiful Jean Ruckers clavecin of 1627, figured in his third volume.

The Belgian Government now charged M. Vander Straeten with artistic and scientific missions which involved his visiting Germany, Italy, France, and Spain. He visited Weimar in 1870, for the model representations of Wagner's operas, and his reports are alike distinguished by æsthetic sentiment and clearness of analytical vision. He has been appointed quite recently by his government, in concert with the Académie Royale, on the committee for the publication of ancient