(Encyclopedia) Sweelinck, Jan PieterszoonSweelinck, Jan Pieterszoonyän pēˈtərsōn swāˈlĭngk [key], 1562–1621, Dutch organist and composer, called the “maker of German organists” because the succession…
(Encyclopedia) gavottegavottegəvŏtˈ [key], originally a peasant dance of the Gavots in upper Dauphiné, France. A type of circle dance characterized by lively, skipping steps, it was introduced at the…
(Encyclopedia) cantatacantatakəntäˈtə [key] [Ital.,=sung], composite musical form similar to a short unacted opera or brief oratorio, developed in Italy in the baroque period. The term was first used…
(Encyclopedia) Martini, Giovanni BattistaMartini, Giovanni Battistajōvänˈnē bät-tēsˈtä märtēˈnē [key], 1706–84, Italian composer and teacher, also known as Padre Martini. Martini became a priest in…
(Encyclopedia) Dusek, Jan LadislavDusek, Jan Ladislavyän läˈdēsläf d&oomacr;ˈshĕk [key], 1760–1812, Czech pianist and composer; pupil of C. P. E. Bach. One of the earliest piano virtuosi, he was…
(Encyclopedia) polonaisepolonaisepŏlˌənāzˈ, ōˌ– [key], Polish national dance, in moderate 3–4 time and of slow, stately movements. It evolved from peasant and court processions and ceremonies of the…
(Encyclopedia) absolute music, term used for music dependent on its structure alone for comprehension. It is the antithesis of program music. It is not associated with extramusical ideas or with a…
(Encyclopedia) Newman, Ernest, 1868–1959, English music critic. He joined the staff of the Manchester Guardian in 1905, the Birmingham Daily Post in 1906, the London Observer in 1919, and The Times…