BRONSART, Hans von. Add that in Sept. 1887 he was made Intendant at Weimar.
BROSSARD, Sebastien de. Add that he had prefixed a short Dictionary of Musical Terms to his 'Prodromus Musicalis,' published as early as 1701.
BROWN, James Duff, born at Edinburgh Nov. 6, 1862, has been an assistant librarian in the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, since 1878. His claim to notice rests on his reliable 'Biographical Dictionary of Musicians' (Paisley, 1886), a book of considerable value as far as facts are concerned, though the critical remarks are often amusingly erroneous.
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BRUCH, Max. The following additions have to be made:—In 1878 he became director of the Stern Singing Society in Berlin, succeeding Stockhausen. In 1880 he was offered the direction of the Liverpool Philharmonic Society, and for three years England became his home. At the end of that time he undertook the direction of the Orchesterverein at Breslau. To the list of his more important works should be added three choral works 'Arminius,' 'Lied von der Glocke,' 'Achilleus,' as well as a third symphony, in E♭, op. 61. His 'Kol Nidrei,' for violoncello, op. 48, has become a favourite at the Popular Concerts and elsewhere, and his most important work, 'Odysseus,' has been given by the Bach Choir, under his own direction.
BRUCKNER, Anton, organist and composer, born Sept. 4, 1824 at Ausfelden (Upper Austria), and received his earliest musical instruction from his father, a village schoolmaster, at whose death he was received as a chorister into the institute (Stift) of St. Florian, where he afterwards became organist. In 1855 he obtained by competition the post of organist of Linz cathedral. From here he made frequent journeys to Vienna to prosecute his studies under Sechter, and from 1861 to 1863 he was a pupil of Otto Kitzler. At Sechter's death in 1867 he was chosen to succeed him as organist of the Hofkapelle, and at the same time became a professor in the Conservatorium. To these functions he added a lectureship at the University, to which he was appointed in 1875. In 1869 he took part in an organ competition at Nancy with such success that he was invited to play in Paris and elsewhere; in 1871 he gave six recitals at the Albert Hall. Three grand masses, besides several compositions for male chorus, are among his vocal compositions, but his fame rests chiefly upon his seven symphonies, the last (published in 1885) played at the Richter concert of May 23, 1887. His style is marked by great earnestness and considerable originality, though it may be reproached with a certain lack of contrast, and an inordinate leaning towards the manner of Wagner, upon whose death the slow movement of the symphony already referred to was written as a kind of elegy. (Died Oct. 11, 1896.)
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BRÜCKLER, Hugo, born at Dresden Feb. 18, 1845, received his first musical instruction from his schoolmaster, C. Sahr. When about ten years old he entered the Evangelical Choristers' Institution at Dresden, where he received instruction in singing and the pianoforte from the court organist, Dr. Johann Schneider. Upon leaving the institution he devoted himself entirely to music, and after taking violin lessons from Herr Haase of Dessau, who was then living in Dresden, in his sixteenth year entered the Dresden Conservatorium of Music, where he diligently pursued his violin studies under Herr Franz Schubert. Brückler's growing inclination for singing and pianoforte caused him, about eighteen months later, to give up the violin, in order to devote himself entirely to the study of pianoforte-playing, singing, and composition. After receiving instruction from Carl Krebs (pianoforte), Julius Rietz (composition), and others, as well as making experiments in different branches of music, and diligently studying full scores and literature, Brückler left the Conservatorium and began to compose industriously, at the same time giving private music lessons. In the latter years of his life he still studied singing with great success under the well-known master Herr Thiele, but continually increasing ill-health compelled him to abandon this passionately loved study. Rapid consumption brought the amiable and modest artist severe suffering, and ended his life at the age of 26, Oct. 7, 1871. The only compositions of Brückler's which have been published are songs; they are as follows:—op. 1, five songs from Scheffel's Trompeter von Säkkingen (Leipzig, Kahnt), op. 2, nine songs from the same poem, and seven songs from his posthumous works, selected and edited by Adolf Jensen (Dresden, Hoffarth).
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BRÜLL, Ignaz, pianist and composer, born Nov. 7, 1846, at Prossnitz in Moravia, received instruction from Epstein, Rufinatscha and Dessoff. The first of these played a concerto by his young pupil in 1861, which brought the composer into notice. In the following year Brüll wrote an orchestral serenade which was performed at Stuttgart in 1864. He appeared as a pianist in Vienna (where his parents had lived since 1849) and undertook several concert tours, performing, among other things, his own compositions with the greatest success. From 1872 to 1878 he was engaged in teaching at one of the smaller institutions at Vienna. In the latter year he came to London, and played at no less than twenty concerts. By this time his opera 'Das goldene Kreuz' (produced Dec. 22, 1875, at Berlin) had obtained such success in different parts of Germany that Mr. Rosa was warranted in producing it in London during the composer's stay. It failed to produce any remarkable effect. His other operas are 'Die Bettler von Samarkand' (1864), 'Der Landfriede' (1877), 'Bianca' (1879), and 'Königin Mariette' (1883), besides which he has written a symphony op. 31, an overture 'Macbeth' op. 46, two pianoforte concertos, a violin concerto op. 41, a sonata for two pianos, a trio, and other works for piano and strings, besides pianoforte pieces and songs.
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