Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Androuet du Cerceau äNdro͞o-āˈ dü sĕrsōˈ [key], family of French architects active in the 16th and 17th cent. It was founded by Jacques Androuet, c.1520–c.1584, surnamed du Cerceau [Fr.,=cir...

(Encyclopedia) Muffat, Georg gāˈôrk mo͝ofˈät [key], 1645–1704, German organist and composer. Muffat studied in Italy with Arcangelo Corelli and Bernardo Pasquini. He also spent six years in Paris studying Je...

(Encyclopedia) Amberg ämˈbĕrk [key], city, Bavaria, S central Germany, on the Vils River. The large iron mines have been worked since the Middle Ages. Until 1810, Amberg was capital o...

(Encyclopedia) overture, instrumental musical composition written as an introduction to an opera, ballet, oratorio, musical, or play. The earliest Italian opera overtures were simply pieces of orchestral music and w...

(Encyclopedia) acquired characteristics, modifications produced in an individual plant or animal as a result of mutilation, disease, use and disuse, or any distinctly environmental influence. Some examples are docki...

(Encyclopedia) Saint Jean săN zhäN [key], city (1991 pop. 37,607), S Que., Canada, on the Richelieu River, SE of Montreal. It is an industrial center with textile and hosiery mills and manufactures such as sewing ...

(Encyclopedia) Vigo, Jean zhäN vēgōˈ [key], 1905–34, French movie director, whose original name was Jean Almereyda. His reputation is based on two superb films: Zéro de Conduite (1933) and L'Atalante (1934, u...

(Encyclopedia) Lafitte, Jean: see Laffite, Jean. ...

(Encyclopedia) Dorat, Jean: see Daurat, Jean.

(Encyclopedia) Daumat, Jean: see Domat, Jean.