Her son died at an early age after distinguishing himself by some vocal compositions ; and her daughter, a singer, married M. Weckerlin.
[ J. M. ]
DAMPER (Fr. L'Etouffoir; Ital. Saltarello, Speguitoio, or Smorzo; Ger. Dämpfer), that part of the action of a pianoforte contrived to stop the vibration of the strings belonging to a note when the finger is raised from the key. It comprises several folds or thicknesses of cloth or soft felt, elevated upon a wire upright, which rest upon or press upwards against the strings when the key is not touched, but quit the strings when the key is pressed down. The pedal movement connected with the dampers removes them collectively from the strings, and so long as the pedal is pressed down the instrument has virtually no dampers, the strings continuing to sound until their vibrations cease. There are no dampers to the treble notes, as the duration of vibration in this part of the scale is too short to need arresting. [See Pianoforte.]
[ A. J. H. ]
DANBY, John, born 1757, one of the most distinguished glee composers Between 1781 and 94 he obtained ten prizes from the Catch Club for eight glees and two canons. He published three books of his compositions, and a fourth was issued after his decease. In 1787 he published an elementary work entitled 'La Guida alla Musica Vocale.' He held the appointment of organist at the chapel of the Spanish embassy, near Manchester Square, for the service of which he composed some masses and motets. He died May 16, 1798, during the performance of a concert which his friends had got up for his benefit, he having long lost the use of his limbs by having been placed in a damp bed at an inn. He was buried in Old St. Pancras churchyard, where an altar tomb was raised to his memory. His fine glee, 'Awake, Æolian lyre!' will not soon be forgotten.
[ W. H. H. ]
DANCE MUSIC. Music designed as an accompaniment to dancing, national, social or on the stage—the ballet; also music written in dance rhythms though not for dancing purposes, such as the Polonaises of Beethoven, Weber, and Chopin; Schulhoff's 'Valses de Concert,' Liszt's 'Galop Chromatique.'
The music of the individual dance tunes has been examined under the separate heads of Allemande, Bolero, Courante, Gigue, Minuet, Waltz, etc. The influence of the dance on music in general, and the manner in which it gradually communicated the rhythm and accent which are its very essence to the unrhythmical and unaccented strains of church music, and thus built up the fabric of modern composition, will be examined under the head of Rhythm. The more direct and material connexion between the Suite—a mere string of dances in one key—and the modern Sonata and Symphony, which grew out of the Suite, will be most conveniently discussed under the last-named headings.
DANCE, William. An English musician whose name deserves preservation as one of the founders of the Philharmonic Society. He was born in 1755, was in the orchestra of the Opera from 1775 to 93, and led the band at the Handel Commemoration of 1790 in the absence of Cramer. He died full of years and credit in 1840. The circular proposing the meeting which led to the formation of the Philharmonic, was issued by 'Messrs. Cramer, Corri, and Dance,' from Mr. Dance's house, 17 Manchester Street, on Sunday, Jan. 17, 1813. He was afterwards one of the Directors, and Treasurer. His son Henry was secretary to the society for the first year, 1813.
DANDO, Joseph Haydon Bourne, was born in Somers Town in 1806. At an early age he commenced the study of the violin under his uncle, Signor Brandi. In 1819 he became a pupil of Mori, with whom he continued about seven years. In 1831 he was adnvtted a member of the Philharmonic orchestra. For many years he filled the post of leader of the bands of the Classical Harmonists and Choral Harmonists Societies (both now extinct), whose concerts were given in the City. Dando was the first to introduce public performances of instrumental quartets. It is true that in the earlier days of the Philharmonic Society a quartet occasionally formed part of the programme, but no concerts consisting exclusively of quartets had before been given. The occasion on which the experiment was first tried was a benefit concert got up by Dando at the Horn Tavern, Doctors' Commons, on 23rd Sept. 1835. The programme was entirely composed of quartets, trios, etc. The experiment proved so successful that two more similar concerts were given in October, each proving more attractive than its precursor. Dando then formed a party consisting of Henry Blagrove, Henry Gattie, Charles Lucas, and himself, to give regular series of Quartet Concerts, and they commenced their enterprise on March 17, 1836, at the Hanover Square Rooms. They continued their performances annually until 42, when Blagrove seceded from the party, upon which Dando assumed the first violin, the viola being placed in the hands of John Loder. Thus constituted they removed to Crosby Hall, where they continued until the deaths of Gattie and Loder in 53 broke up the party. Dando occupied a prominent position in all the best orchestras until 75, when the fingers of his left hand becoming crippled he was compelled to desist from performing. During his long career he has ever shown himself an excellent violinist and amiable man.
[ W. H. H. ]
DANIEL, Hermann Adalbert, a German theologian, born 1812 at Cöthen near Dessau, professor in the University of Halle. His 'Thesaurus Hymnologicus ' (5 vols. Löschke, Leipsic) is a valuable work on the history of early church music and collection of hymns.
[ M. C. C. ]
DANKERTS, Ghiselain, a native of Tholen in Zeeland, and a singer in the Papal Chapel in the middle of the 16th century. An eight-part motet of his composition, 'Lætamini in Domino,' is included in Uhlard's 'Concentus octo …
