opera buffa by Mozart, in 4 a c t s ; libretto by L. da Ponte after Beaumarchais's ' Mariage de Figaro,' on Mozart's own suggestion. I t is dated, in Mozart's Autograph Catalogue, Vienna, Apr. 29, 1786. Produced National Theatre, Vienna, May 1, 1786; Opera, Paris, in 5 acts, with Beaumarchais's spoken dialogue, Mar. 20,1793; King's Theatre (in Italian), June 18, 1812 ; in English, Covent Garden, Mar. 6, 1819; New York in 1823. G.
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NALDI, GIUSEPPE
(b. Bologna, Feb. 2, 1770; d . Paris, Dec. 15, 1820'), baritone singer, was the only son of Giuseppe Naldi, who held a government appointment at Bologna. The son was educated in the universities of Bologna and Pavia, where he made very rapid progress in his studies for the law, the profession of his choice. He achieved his first success on the stage at Milan. According to Fetis (who, however, is incorrect in some details of his biography), Naldi appeared at Rome in 1789, then at Naples, and next at Venice and Turin. In 1796 and 1797 he reappeared at Milan. In London he made his debut Apr. 15, 1806, and he continued to sing here every subsequent season up to 1819 (inclusive). His principal characters were in ' Le cantatrici villane,' 'Cosl fan tutte ' and ' II fanatico per la musica.' In the latter he showed his skill in playing the violoncello, on which he was no mean performer. Lord Mount-Edgcumbe describes his voice as ' weak and uncertain ' ; while another critic * calls it ' sonorous and powerful.' All agree, however, that Naldi was extremely clever, could write very fair verses and compose very tolerable music ; had an accurate e a r ; could play the piano and violoncello very w e l l ; and read at sight with perfect ease and intonation. As an actor he was excellent, and played with ' irresistible humour, effect, judgment and truth.' A good portrait-sketch of him as Figaro in ' Le nozze,' ' drawn and etched expressly for the British Stage,' appeared in Feb. 1818. In the next year he was engaged at Paris, where he made his debut in i Qentlemari* Magazine. 2 Monthly Mirror. * Cosi fan tutte ' ; but his powers were much faded. He returned once more to London in that, his last, season ; and in the following year, at Paris, met an untimely death, in the apartments of his friend Garcia, by the bursting of a newly-invented cooking-kettle, a trial of which he had been invited to witness. His daughter, Mile. N a l d i , made her debut in 1819. She sang at Paris in 1822-23, and is said by Fetis to have shared the public applause w ith Pasta for some years, particularly in ' Tancredi ' and * Romeo e Giulietta.' She retired in 1824, having married the Conte di Sparre. J. M.
NAYLOR, (1)JOHN
(b. Stanningley, near Leeds, June 8, 1838 ; d. at sea, May 15, 1897), was organist in succession of St. Mary's and All Saints' Churches, Scarborough, and of York Minster. He composed church music and several cantatas, and died during a voyage to Australia. His son, (2) E dward W oodall (b. Scarborough, Feb. 9, 1867), was musically educated by his father, and gained a choral scholarship at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, in 1884. He took his B.A. degree in 1887, and in 1888 entered the R.C.M., where on July 11, 1892, his scena ' Merlin and the Gleam ' was" performed. In 1889 he was appointed organist of St. Michael's, Chester Square, and in 1896-97 was organist at St. Mary's, Ki(bum. He then returned to Cambridge, as assistant master at the Leys School, and organist of his old college, Emmanuel. He had taken the degrees of Mus.B. and M.A. in 1891, and that of Mus.D. in 1897. He made considerable alterations in the character and quality of the chapel services, and wrote a large number of services and anthems for choirs of tenors and basses. A trio for piano and strings in D is in MS., but many of his church compositions have been published, as well as partsongs, ' The Merry Bells of Yule ' (with some nine-part writing at the close) and ' The Charge of the Light Brigade.' A cantata, ' Arthur the King,' was produced at Harrogate, Dec. 24, 1902, in which year he was appointed lecturer on music at Emmanuel College. His lectures are singularly free from ' academicism,' and often present history, etc., in new points of view. Papers were read by him on 1 Heinrich Schiitz (1905) and ' Jacob Handl (Gallus) ' (1908), before the Musical Association (see the Proceedings for those years). A book entitled Shakespeare and Music came out in 1896, and an analysis of the * Fitzwilliam Virginal Book ' in 1905. Dr. Naylor's name came before the general musical public most prominently in connexion with his opera 1 The Angelus,' which gained the prize offered by Ricordi for an English work. I t was performed at Covent Garden, Jan. 27, 1909. I t was revived there by the Carl Rosa Company in 1921. For list of compositions see S .M . S . Ann., 1920. M., with addns.
NEVADA
(1) E mma, nee W ixom (b. Alpha, near Nevada City, California, 1862), the daughter of a doctor, was taught singing by Mme. Marchesi at Vienna, and on May 17, 1880, made a succcssful debut on the stage at Her Majesty's Theatre as Amina, under the name of Nevada, but did not sing again, owing to pecuniary difficulties with her manager. She then sang in all the great cities of Italy, and on May 17, 1883, made a successful debut at the Opera-Comique, Paris, as Zora in the revival of Felicien David's ' Perle du Bresil,' appearing also as Mignon until Feb. 1884. In the spring of 1884 she sang as Amina and Lucia in Italian at the Theatre des Nations, and in the autumn at the Norwich Festival in the * Redemption,' ' Elijah,' etc., and Oct. 16, on the production of Mackenzie's ' Rose of Sharon,' with great success, the soprano music having been written expressly for her. On Nov. 7 she sang in the last work at the ' Sacred Harmonic,' St. James's Hall. Later in the year and in 1885 she sang in Italian Opera on alternate nights with Mme. Patti at New York, San Francisco, etc., with the greatest success. On Oct. 1, 1885, she married at i See document printed In xxv. 6. Paris Dr. Raymond Palmer. She returned to America on an extended concert tour, and reappeared in England for a few nights at Covent Garden, notably on Apr. 29, 1887, in the revival of ' Mireille.' She then sang in Holland, Germany, Russia, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Her medallion as Amina, in company with those of Pasta and Malibran, was placed on the statue of Bellini at Naples, on the initiative of her friend the late Francesco Florimo, the great personal friend of the composer. A. c. (2) M i g n o n , her daughter, is alao a brilliant soprano, who made her debut at the Costanzi Theatre in Rome, as Rosina in ' II Barbiere.' Her first appearance at Covent Garden was in Thomas's ' H am le t ' (Beecham season, Oct. 4, 1910), since when she has been frequently engaged in London, and has also sung in most of tho principal opera-houses of Europe. O.
NIGHTDANCERS, THE
opera, in 2 acts, words by G. Soane, music by E. J. Loder. Produced as ' The Wilis, or the Night Dancers,* Princess's Theatre, Oct. 28, 1846. Adam's ballet * Giselle ' and Puccini's ' Le Villi ' have the same subject. G .
NORMAN, FREDRIK VILHELM LUDVIG
(b. Stockholm, Aug. 28, 1831; d. there, Mar. 28, 1885), a Swedish composer who has created works of deep and lasting value. He showed an early talent in improvisations on the piano and composition. Already in 1843 a book of 'Songs composed at 11 years of age ' was published. His father's death left Norman poor, but through the kind interest shown him by the Crown Prince Oscar, Jenny Lind and others, he was enabled to continue his musical education in Leipzig, where he remained for four years, studying at the Conservatoire undei Hauptmann, Moscheles and Rietz. Through the mediation of Schumann, his first opus, ' Zwei Klavierstiicke,' was published in 1851 by Kistner ; this Leipzig firm also later on undertook the publication of his various instrumental compositions. On his return to Stockholm, Norman, at the age of 30, became conductor of the Royal Orchestra, which post he held till 1879 ; up to the last year of his life he conducted the Symphony Concerts. But it is as a composer that Norman ranks highest. He was one of the first to show the importance of Franz Berwald's art by following in his footsteps. He wrote three symphonies, four overtures and three sonatas ; also a good deal of chamber music and a number of songs. Many honours were bestowed on the distinguished composer ; he received several orders, and in 1884 the prize medal of the Swedish Academy, for his merits as a musician and author. He edited The Journal for the Theatre and Music, and also wrote musical articles and criticisms for various papers. He was a member of the Academy of Music in 1857, and this society in 1910 engraved a medal in commemoration of him. He married in 1864 the celebrated violinist Wilma (Wilhelmina) N e r u d a , afterwards Lady Halle. o. A. s.
NARES, JAMES, MUS.D
(b. Stan well, Middlesex, 1715 1 ; d. Feb. 10, 1783), was a chorister in the Chapel Royal under Bernard Gates and Dr. Croft, and afterwards with Dr. Pepusch. He acted for some time as deputy for Pigott, organist of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and in 1734 was appointed, on the resignation of Salisbury, organist of York Minster. On Jan. 13,1750, he was appointed to succeed Dr. Greene as organist and composer to the Chapel Royal, and in the same year graduated as Mus.D. at Cambridge. In Oct. 1757 he was appointed master of the children of the Chapel Royal, vice Gates, his old master. In 1770 he gained a prize from the Catch Club for his glee, ' To all Lovers of Harmony.' He resigned the mastership of the Chapel boys July 1, 1780, died in 1783, and was buried in St. Margaret's Westminster. Nares published ' Eight Sets of Harpsichord Lessons,' 1748 ; ' Five Harpsichord Lessons,' op. 2,1758; 'Three Easy Harpsichord Lessons'; ' A Treatise on Singing ' ; ' II Principio, or, A regular Introduction to playing on the Harpsichord or Organ' (1759, the first set of progressive lessons published on a systematic p la n ) ; ' The Royal Pastoral,' a dramatic ode, 1767 ; ' Collection of Catches, Canons and Glees,' c. 1780 ; ' Six Organ Fugues ' ; ' Second Treatise on Singing, with a Set of English Duets ' ; and ' Twenty Anthems,' 1778. ' A Morning and Evening Service and Six Anthems ' were published in 1788, with a portrait of him, cetat. 65, engraved by Ward after Engleheart, prefixed. A sketch of his life is also contained in the volume by his son Robert. His Service in F and three anthems are included in Arnold's ' Cathedral Music,' an anthem in Page's ' Harmonia sacra,' and two anthems in Stevens's ' Sacred Music.' Two canons, two glees, two rounds, and a catch by him (the famous ' Wilt thou lend me thy mare ? ') are contained in l Baptized Apr. 19. Warren's collections, and one of his lessons, in three movements, from the set of 1758, was reprinted in the Oxf. Hist. Mus. vol. iv., The Age of Bach and Handel. w. h . h .
NEGRO(NEGRI), GIULIO SANTO PIETRODEL
(b. Milan, latter half of 16th cent.), an amateur of noble birth. He composed ' Gl' amorosi pensieri. Canzonette, vilanelle e t arie napolitane a 3 voci . . .,' 3 books (1607); ' Grazie ed affetti di musica moderna a 1, 2 and 3 voci 2 books (op. 5, 1613; op. 8, 1614; ' Musica ecclesiastica concertata alia moderna a 2, e 3 voci, op. 9 ' (1616) ; ' Canti academici a 2-6 voci, op. 11 ' (1620) (Q.-L.).
NICHOLLS, AGNES
(b. Cheltenham, July 14, 1877), a distinguished soprano singer. In 1894 she gained a scholarship at the R.C.M., and studied singing there six years under Visetti. During this period she made her debuts on the stage a t the Lyceum Theatre, Nov. 20, 1895, as the heroine on the revival of Purcell's ' Dido and /Eneas,' and Dec. 11, 1896, as Anne Page, on the production in English of Verdi's ' Falstaff.' In 1897 she sang at the Gloucester Festival. As a student, she sang i thrice before Queen Victoria, as Javotte at a private performance at Windsor of Delibes's ' Le Roi l 'a dit,' in the ' Hymn of Praise ' on Jubilee Sunday, 1897, with A(bani and Lloyd, and in 1899, the principal soprano music in ' Elijah,' on both these latter occasions at St. George's Chapel, under Sir W. Parratt. On leaving the College she had further vocal instruction from John Acton of Manchester. On May 14, 1901, she made her debut at Covent Garden as the Dewman in ' Hansel und Gretel,' and was re-engaged there in 1904-08. She sang the parts of Sieglinde (' The Valkyrie ') and Brunnhilde (' Siegfried ') in the first production under Richter of 1 The Ring ' in English (Feb. 1908). Her career in opera has been intermittent but was continued with distinction in Beecham's and Denhof's companies, and in the British National Opera Company, of which she was one of the first directors. But it is as a concert and oratorio singer that she has established her highest reputation ; she has sung at all the principal festivals, the Richter concerts in London and Manchester, the London festivals under Weingartner, the Royal Choral Society, etc. The soprano parts of many of Parry's choral works were written for her and the tenth book of his ' English Lyrics ' (high soprano songs demanding that purity of tone and style for which she is famous) is dedicated to her. She sang the part of the Blessed Virgin in the first production of Elgar's ' The Kingdom,' and it is among her most beautiful performances. She appeared at the Cincinnati Festival and at the Jubilee Concerts at the Crystal Palace in 1904. On July 15 of the same year she married Hamilton Harty (q.v.). A. c . ; addns. c.
NOCTURNE, NOTTURNO
The use of the title ' Nocturne ' for a certain kind of quiet, reflective movement for pianoforte, originated with John F ie l d (q.v.), and it was adopted by Chopin for his opp. 9, 15, 27, 32, 37, 48, 55, 62 and 72, in which the mood became of a more melancholy nature, as though reflecting the atmosphere of night. ' Notturno ' originally meant a kind of S e r en a d e (q.v.), and was employed by Mozart in his three-movement work for strings and 2 horns (K. 286). An entr'acte in the 'Midsummer Night's Dream ' music of Mendelssohn bears the same title.