Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Sweelinck, Jan Pieterszoon yän pēˈtərsōn swāˈlĭngk [key], 1562–1621, Dutch organist and composer, called the “maker of German organists” because the succession of his pupils descended di...

(Encyclopedia) gavotte gəvŏtˈ [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 court of Louis XI...

(Encyclopedia) cantata kəntäˈtə [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 in 1620 to refer ...

(Encyclopedia) Aldana, Francisco de fränthēsˈkō ᵺā äldäˈnä [key], 1537–78, Spanish general, diplomat, and poet, b. Alcántara or Naples. He symbolizes the ideal of the Spanish Renaissance. As a soldier ...

(Encyclopedia) Barclay, Alexander bärˈklē, –klā [key], 1475?–1552, Scottish clergyman and poet. Although the first to write pastoral eclogues in English, he is best known for The Ship of Fools (1509), a tran...

(Encyclopedia) Cabot, John, fl. 1461–98, English explorer, probably b. Genoa, Italy. He became a citizen of Venice in 1476 and engaged in the Eastern trade of that city. This experience, it is assumed, was the sti...

(Encyclopedia) Martini, Giovanni Battista jōvänˈnē bät-tēsˈtä märtēˈnē [key], 1706–84, Italian composer and teacher, also known as Padre Martini. Martini became a priest in 1722. He acquired great pres...

(Encyclopedia) Dusek, Jan Ladislav yän läˈdēsläf do͞oˈshĕk [key], 1760–1812, Czech pianist and composer; pupil of C. P. E. Bach. One of the earliest piano virtuosi, he was famous for his lyrical touch in s...

(Encyclopedia) polonaise pŏlˌənāzˈ, 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 late 16th cen...

(Encyclopedia) Jordan, Camille kämēˈyə zhôrdäNˈ [key], 1771–1821, French writer and political figure. A moderate supporter of the French Revolution, he fled France during the Reign of Terror and again after...