A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Oury, Anna
OURY, Madame (née, Anna Caroline de BELLEVILLE). This once-celebrated pianiste, the daughter of a French nobleman, director of the opera in Munich, was born at Landshut in Bavaria, Jan. 24, 1806 [App. p.737 "1808"], and spent the first ten years of her life at Augsburg with her parents, studying with the cathedral organist, on whose recommendation she was taken to Vienna in 1816, and placed under the direction of Czerny for four years, during which time she was introduced to Beethoven, and heard him improvise on the piano. She appeared on two occasions in Vienna, on one of which (Madame Catalani's farewell concert) she played a Hummel concerto with orchestra. In 1820 she returned to her parents at Munich, and played there with great success. The next year was spent in Paris, where she was well received. She resumed her studies with Andreas Streicher in Vienna in 1829, after which she made a professional tour to Warsaw, Berlin, etc. In 1831 she came to London, and made her début at her Majesty's theatre at Paganini's concert in July. Her own concert took place in August, and in October she married M. Oury the violinist, with whom she then proceeded to make a long tour to Russia, where they remained two years, to the principal cities of Germany, Austria, and Holland, settling at length in Paris for two years and a half. In April 1839 they returned to England, which from that time became their home. Until 1846 Madame Oury divided her time between London and Brighton, being particularly successful at the latter place. From that time she devoted herself entirely to composition, and during the twenty years that followed published no less than 180 pieces, principally of the class known as 'drawing-room' music. In 1866 she retired from all artistic pursuits, and continued to live near London.
The following is Schumann's criticism of her playing: 'Anna de Belleville and Clara [Wieck]. They should not be compared. They are different mistresses of different schools. The playing of the Belleville is technically the finer of the two; Clara's is more impassioned. The tone of the Belleville flatters, but does not penetrate the ear; that of Clara reaches the heart. Anna is a poetess; Clara is poetry itself. (Music and Musicians, p. 68.) Mme. Oury died at Munich on July 22, 1880.[ J. A. F. M. ]