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Viotti, Giovanni Battista

(Encyclopedia)Viotti, Giovanni Battista jōvänˈnē bät-tēsˈtä vyôtˈtē [key], 1755–1824, Italian violinist, considered the greatest of his day. He made public appearances until 1783, and the next year he ...

Graham, Susan

(Encyclopedia)Graham, Susan, 1960–, American mezzo-soprano, b. Roswell, N. Mex. Known for her vibrant, expressive voice and her superb acting ability, she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in ...

Bach, Johann Christian

(Encyclopedia)Bach, Johann Christian bäkh [key], 1735–82, German musician and composer; son of J. S. Bach. He went to Italy in 1754, became a Roman Catholic, and composed church music and operas. In 1760 he bec...

Pinza, Ezio

(Encyclopedia)Pinza, Ezio ātsˈyō pēnˈtsä [key], 1892–1957, Italian bass, b. Rome, studied at the Bologna Conservatory. After military service (1915–19), he resumed his operatic career in Rome, later singi...

Wood, Fernando

(Encyclopedia)Wood, Fernando, 1812–81, American politician, b. Philadelphia. He became a successful shipping merchant in New York City and a leader of Tammany Hall. Wood was elected mayor in 1854 and was reelecte...

waltz

(Encyclopedia)waltz, romantic dance in moderate triple time. It evolved from the German Ländler and became popular in the 18th cent. The dance is smooth, graceful, and vital in performance. The waltz in Vicente Ma...

Salzburg Festival

(Encyclopedia)Salzburg Festival, annual festival of music and drama held in Salzburg, Austria, for five weeks starting in late July. The festival may be considered a descendant of the Salzburg Music Festival Weeks ...

Pius II

(Encyclopedia)Pius II pīˈəs [key], 1405–64, pope (1458–64), an Italian named Enea Silvio de' Piccolomini (often in Latin, Aeneas Silvius), renamed Pienza after him, b. Corsigniano; successor of Calixtus III....

mandolin

(Encyclopedia)mandolin mănˌdəlĭnˈ, mănˈdəlĭnˌ [key], musical instrument of the lute family, with a half-pear-shaped body, a fretted neck, and a variable number of strings, plucked with the fingers or with...

Schwanthaler, Ludwig von

(Encyclopedia)Schwanthaler, Ludwig von lo͝otˈvĭkh fən shvänˈtälər [key], 1802–48, German sculptor. Though he was a neoclassicist, his later works were more in the romantic manner and devoted to themes tha...