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at Milan he wrote amongst other things two Symphonies which were performed there, and a Cantata. Upon his return to Busseto, he wrote a 'Messa' and a 'Vespro,' three Tantum Ergos, and other sacred compositions, as well as choruses to Alessandro Manzoni's tragedies, and 'Il cinque Maggio.' Everything is lost with the exception of a few symphonies that are still performed at Busseto, and the music to Manzoni's poems, which is now in the writer's possession.

[ G. M. ]

VEREENIGING VOOR NOORD-NEDERLANDS MUZIEKGESCHIEDENIS (Association for the History of Dutch Music) is the literary branch of the national Society for the Advancement of Music (Maatschappij tot bevordering der Toonkunst). It was separated in 1868–9 for the purpose of collecting and publishing materials for the musical history of the Dutch Netherlands, especially during the period extending from Obrecht (1450) to Sweelinck (1621).

Its publications are as follow:

  1. Sweelinck's Regina Coeli (ed. H. A. Viotta, 1869).
  2. Old Dutch Songs, from the lute-book of Adrianus Valerius (ed. A. D. Loman, 1871).
  3. Organ compositions, by Sweelinck and Scheidt (ed. R. Eitner, 1871).
  4. Twelve Geuzeliedjes, songs of the Guene during the Spanish oppression (ed. A. D. Loman, 1872).
  5. Three madrigals by Schuijt, and two chansons by Sweelinck (ed. R. Eitner, 1873).
  6. Eight Psalms by Sweelinck (ed. R. Eitner), with Life by F. H. L. Tiedeman (1876).
  7. Chanson by Sweelinck (ed. R. Eitner, 1877).
  8. Selections from Johannes Wanning's 'LII Sententiae' (ed. R. Eitner, 1878).
  9. Mass 'Fortuna Desperata,' by Jacob Obrecht (ed. R. Eitner, 1880).
  10. Old Dutch Dances arranged for piano (4 hands), by J. C. M. van Riemsdijk (1882).

The Vereeniging has also published a volume entitled Musique et Musiciens an XVIIe Siècle. Correspondance et Œuvre musicales de Constantin Huygens publiées par W. J. A. Jonckbloet et J. P. N. Land' (1882). Besides these works, three volumes of transactions have appeared, under the title of 'Bouwsteenen' (issued for members only, 1869–72, 1872–4, and 1874–81). To each is prefixed a short 'chronicle' of the proceedings of the association. The contents are principally (1) materials for a dictionary of Dutch musicians, most valuable for local statistics and bibliography, (2) catalogues of little-known musical collections, (3) particulars respecting the organs, carillons, etc. of Holland, (4) miscellaneous contributions to the antiquities of Dutch music. The 'Bouwsteenen' are now superseded by a regular journal ('Tijdschrift '), of which two numbers have appeared (1882, 1883). The secretary is Dr. H. C. Rogge, university librarian at Amsterdam.

[App. p.811 "The list of publications issued by this society is to be continued as follows:—

11. Const. Huygens, 'Pathodia Sacra et Profana' (ed. W. J. A. Jonckbloet and J. P. N. Land, 1883).
12. Six Psalms by Sweelinck. In 4 parts (ed. R. Eitner, 1884).
13. J. A. Reinken's 'Hortus Musicus' (ed. J. C. M. van Riemsdijk. 1886).
14. J. A. Reinken, 'Partite diverse sopra l'Aria: 'Schweiget mir von Weiber nehmen' (1887).
(Without. No.) J. P. Sweelinck, 'O Sacrum Convivium,' 5 part motet.
15. J. P. Sweelinck, Cantio sacra, 'Hodie Christus natus est,' 5 parts.

The second volume of the society's 'Tijdschrift' was completed in 1887."]

VERHULST, Johannes Josephus Herman, was born March 19, 1816, at the Hague, and was one of the earliest students at the Royal School of Music there, where he learned violin and theory. He afterwards played in the orchestra of the French Opera under Charles Hanssen, and wrote many pieces, amongst others an Overture in B minor which was published by the Society tot Bevordering der Toonkunst. An allowance from the King enabled him to go first to Cologne, where he studied with Joseph Klein, and then to Leipzig, where he arrived Jan. 12, 1838, and was well received by Mendelssohn, and soon after made Director of the important 'Euterpe' Concerts. There and in Germany he remained till 1842, when he returned to the Hague and was at once decorated by the King, with the order of the Lion and made Director of the Music at Court. Since then he has resided at Rotterdam and the Hague, and at Amsterdam, where for many years he has conducted the Felix Meritis Society, and the Cecilia Concerts, as well as the Diligentia Society at the Hague. As a conductor he is very famous in his own country. His compositions comprise symphonies, overtures, quartets, much church music (amongst other pieces a Requiem for men's voices is much spoken of), songs and part-songs, to Dutch words. Verhulst's music is little known out of his own country. In England the writer only remembers to have heard one piece, an intermezzo for orchestra called 'Gruss aus der Ferne,' performed occasionally at the Crystal Palace. Verhulst's friendship with Schumann was one of the great events of his life. How close and affectionate it was may be judged from the many letters given in Jansen's 'Die Davidsbündler,' and especially the following note written at the end of one of Schumann's visits to Holland:

Dear Verhulst,—Good-bye. It delighted me to find you in your old spirits. Unfortunately you cannot say the same of me. Perhaps my good genious may yet bring me back to my former condition. It delighted me too to find that you have got so dear a wife: in that matter we are both equally fortunate. Give her a nice message from me, and take a hearty greeting and embrace for yourself from your old

Robert Sch.
Scheveningen, Sept. 8, 1852.


Schumann's 'Overture, Scherzo, and Finale' (op. 52) is dedicated to Verhulst, who possesses the autograph, with the following inscription.[1]

J. J. Verhulst
übergiebt die Partitur des alten Opus
mit alten Sympathien.

Rotterdam d. 18 Dec. 1853.R. Schumann.

[ G. ]

VERLORENE PARADIES, DAS (Paradise Lost). Russian sacred opera in 3 parts; words from Milton, music by Rubinstein (op. 54). Produced at St. Petersburg Dec. 17, 1876.

[ G. ]

VERNON, Joseph, originally appeared at Drury Lane as a soprano singer in 1751. On Feb. 23 he sang in 'Alfred' (music by Arne and others), and on Nov. 19 performed the part of Thyrsis in Dr. Boyce's 'Shepherd's Lottery.' In 1754 he became a tenor singer. In the early part of 1755 he married, at the Savoy Chapel, Miss Poitier, a singer at Drury Lane. There was some irregularity in the performance of the ceremony which infringed the law for the prevention of clandestine marriages, and Wilkinson, the chaplain of the Savoy, and Grierson, his curate, the actual celebrant, were tried, convicted and transported. Vernon had been compelled to appear as a witness against Grierson upon his trial, and the public, unjustly suspecting him of having instigated the prosecution, refused to

  1. See Jansen's 'Die Davidsbündler.'