was elected a member of the Pontifical Choir, to which he contributed, during the last 30 years of his life, many valuable compositions. His death took place on March 11, 1607; and his remains were deposited in the Church of S. Luigi de' Francesi.
Nanini was one of the brightest ornaments of the great Roman School, the highest qualities of which he cultivated in a remarkable degree. His Motet, for six Voices—'Hodie nobis coelorum rex'—annually sung, in the Sistine Chapel, on the morning of Christmas Day, is a noble composition; and he has left us many others, of equal merit, a large proportion of which still remain in MS. among the Archives of the Pontifical Choir, the Vatican Basilica, the Collegium Romanum, the Oratory of S. Maria in Vallicella, and other noted collections. P. Martini mentions a MS. collection of Canons, entitled 'Cento cinquanta sette Contrappunti e Canoni à 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, e 11 Voci, sopra del Canto fermo intitolato La Base di Costanzo Festa,' which contains some miracles of ingenuity and learning. Some of these, at least, have already appeared among his published works: but, a dissertation on Counterpoint, called 'Regole di Giov. Maria e di Bernardino Nanini, per fare contrappunto a mente sopra il Canto fermo,' written, conjointly, by himself, and his younger brother, exists only in a MS. copy—unhappily, imperfect—transcribed by Orazio Griffi, and preserved in the Library of the Palazzo Corsini alla Lungara.
The published works of Nanini comprise a volume of 'Motetti, à 3 voci' (Venice, 1578); 'Motetti, à 5 voci' (1578); 'Madrigali,' Lib. I. (1578); Idem, Lib. II. (1580, 1582, 1587, 1605); Id., Lib. III. (1584); Id., Lib. IV. (1586); 'Canzonetti, a 3 voci' (1587), all published, at Venice, in 4to, by Gardano; some 'Salmi, a 8 voci,' printed in the well-known collection of Fabio Costantini (Napoli, 1615); and a number of Motets, Madrigals, and other isolated works, included in Costantini's 'Motetti,' Waelrant's 'Symphonia Angelica,' and other collections published in Italy, and by P. Phalèse of Antwerp. Some very fine Motets—including a masterly 'Hodie Christus natus est,' in which the characteristic Noè! Noè! is introduced with great effect—will be found in Proske's 'Musica Divina.' [See Noël.] Others are given in the collections of the Prince de la Moskowa, Rochlitz, etc.
[ W.S.R. ]
NANTIER-DIDIÉE, Constance Betsy Rosabella, was born at St. Denis in the Isle of Bourbon (now He de la Réunion) Nov. 16, 1831. Mdlle. Nantier, who derived her second name from her marriage with a singer named Didiée, received instruction in singing at the Paris Conservatoire under Duprez, from 1847 to 1849, and obtained an accessit in the latter year in his class, and the first prize in the Opera class. She made her début on the stage at the Carignan Theatre, Turin, in Mercadante's 'La Vestale.' She played in Paris at the Salle Ventadour in 1851, and afterwards joined an Italian company, of which Giuglini was one, and who played at Lyons, Nimes, Montpelier, etc.
Madame Nantier-Didiée made her first appearance in England at Covent Garden in 1853 as the Chevalier de Goudi, in 'Maria di Rohan,' afterwards as Maddalena, in 'Rigoletto' on its production here, and as Ascanio in 'Benvenuto Cellini'; and in all three parts was successful. From 1853 to 1864 inclusive she sang here every year in Italian opera, at Covent Garden and the Lyceum, the usual mezzo soprano or contralto parts, creating amongst others Nancy in 'Marta,' Rita on the revival of 'Zampa,' L'Amore 'Orfeo', Ulrica in Verdi's 'Ballo,' and Siebel in 'Faust.' In this last opera Gounod wrote the popular air 'Quando a te lieta' expressly for her. During this time Madame Nantier-Didiée sang at Court and public concerts, made an operatic provincial tour in 1855, later in that year and the early part of 1856 played in opera in America, and took part at the Bradford Festival of 1859. The rest of each year she was engaged at the Italian Opera of Paris, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Madrid, etc., or sang at concerts in the French provinces. She died at Madrid, Dec. 4, 1867. Apropos to Maddalena, Mr. Chorley remarks, 'Her gay handsome face, her winning mezzosoprano voice, not without a Cremona tone in it, redeeming the voice from lusciousness, and her neat lively execution, were all displayed in this part, short as it is. For such occupation as falls to the share of a first-rate singer of the second class, this lady has never been exceeded. Subsequently when … she tried to win first honours as a contralto, the natural limits of her powers made themselves felt, and she lost rather than gained in public favour.'
[ A. C. ]
NAPLES. The first school of music at Naples was founded towards the middle of the 15th century by John Tinctor. His school was short-lived, but it was immediately succeeded by the illustrious Neapolitan Conservatorios which were both the first examples and models of all similar musical institutions, not only in Italy but in the other countries of Europe.
The Conservatorios of Naples, four in number—(1) Santa Maria di Loreto, (2) San Onofrio, (3) De' Poveri di Gesu Cristo, (4) Delia Pieta de' Turchini—were originally founded by private benefactors for the purpose of affording both shelter and instruction to the homeless orphans of Naples. The children were taken out of the streets and clad in a particular dress, each Conservatorio being distinguished from the others by its peculiar colour. They were moreover closely shaven, and this, coupled with the clerical character of their dress caused them to be called 'Preterelli' (little priests). Many of them were indeed destined for Holy Orders. Ecclesiastical music was at first the primary object of these institutions. They were governed after the pattern of a priest's seminary, and each had a church of which the pupils formed the choir. The funds of the institution were increased by the services of the pupils in other city churches and in the Royal Chapel, for which they received a monthly salary. Also by other pious offices, such as watching and chanting hymns and prayers over the dead
