be any reason for taking from him the credit of the discovery which has so long been associated with his name.
[ J. L. ]
RETARDATION is a word used by some theorists to distinguish a small group of discords which are similar in nature to suspensions, but resolve upwards, as in Ex. 1.
The ground for making this sub-class is that it appears inaccurate to describe as suspensions notes which are delayed or retarded in ascending. A comparison of Ex. 2, which would be distinguished as a suspension, with Ex. 1 will show the identity of principle which underlies the two discords; while the fact of their ascending or descending is clearly not an attribute but an accident. So in this case there is no other ostensible reason for breaking up a well-defined class but the fact that the common designation in use is supposed, perhaps erroneously, to be insufficient to denote all that ought to come under it. On the other hand it requires to be noted that as all discords of this class are discords of retardation, And as those which rise are very much less common than those which descend in resolution, the name which might describe the whole class is reserved for the smallest and least conspicuous group in that class.
[ C. H. H. P. ]
REUTTER, Georg, born 1656 at Vienna, became in 1686 organist of St. Stephen's, and in 1700 Hof- and Kammer-organist. He also played the theorbo in the Hof-Kapelle from 1697 to 1703. In 1712 he succeeded Fux as Capellmeister to the Gnadenbild in St. Stephen's, and in 1715 became Capellmeister of the cathedral itself. He died Aug. 29, 1738. His church music was sound, without being remarkable. In Jan. 1695 he was knighted in Rome by Count Francesco Sforza, on whose family Pope Paul III. bestowed the privilege of conferring that honour in 1539. The name of Reutter is closely connected with that of Haydn, through his son,
Georg Karl (generally known by his first name only), who, according to the cathedral register, was born in Vienna April 6, 1708, became Court-composer in 1731, and succeeded his father in 1738 as Capellmeister of the cathedral. In 1746 he was appointed second Court-capellmeister, his duty being to conduct the music of the Emperor's church, chamber, and dinner-table. On Predieri's retirement in 1751 Reutter exercised the functions of chief Court-capellmeister, but did not receive the title till the death of the former in 1769. As an economical measure he was allowed the sum of 20,000 gulden (£2,000) to maintain the court-capelle (the whole body of musicians, vocal and instrumental), and he enjoys the melancholy distinction of having reduced the establishment to the lowest possible ebb. Reutter composed for the court numerous operas, cantatas d'occasion, and Italian oratorios for Lent; also a requiem, and smaller dramatic and sacred works. His grand masses are showy, with rapid and noisy instrumentation, so much so that 'rushing (rauschende) violins à la Reutter' became a proverb. Burney heard one of them during his visit to Vienna in 1772, and says 'it was dull, dry, stuff; great noise and little meaning characterised the whole performance.' (Present State of Music in Germany, i. 361.)[1] In 1731 Reutter married Theresia Holzhauser, a court singer of merit, who died in 1782. His own death took place March 12, 1772. He was much favoured at court owing to his great tact; and Maria Theresa ennobled him in 1740 as 'Edler von Reutter.' As stated above, his name is inseparably associated with that of Haydn, whom he heard sing as a boy in the little town of Hamburg, and engaged for the choir of St. Stephen's, where he sang from 1740 to 1748. His treatment of the poor chorister, and his heartless behaviour when the boy's fine voice had broken, are mentioned under Haydn, vol. i. 703.
[ C. F. P. ]
REVEILLE. See Signals.
REVERSE. See Rovescio.
REVUE ET GAZETTE MUSICALE, the oldest and most complete of French musical periodicals. This branch of literature has taken root in France with great difficulty. So far back as Jan. 1770, M. de Breuilly and other amateurs founded the 'Journal de Musique' (monthly, 8vo), which after a troubled existence of three years was dropped till 1777, and then resumed for one year more. In 1810 Fayolle started 'Les Tablettes de Polymnie' (8vo), but it did not survive beyond 1811. Undeterred by these failures, Fétis brought out the first number of the 'Revue musicale' in January 1827. It appeared four times a month, each number containing 24 pages 8vo., till Feb. 5, 1831, when it was published weekly, in small 4to, double columns. 'La Gazette musicale de Paris,' started Jan. 5, 1834, was similar in size to Fétis's Revue,' and also weekly, but issued on Sunday instead of Saturday. The two were united on Nov. 1, 1835, since which date the 'Revue et Gazette musicale,' has twice enlarged its form, in 1841 and in 1845, at which date it became what it was till its last number, Dec. 31, 1880.
The property of the publishers Schlesinger and Brandus, this periodical has always been noted for the reputation and ability of its editors. Amongst its regular contributors have been: Anders, C. Bannelier, C. Beauquier, Berlioz, P. Bernard, H. Blanchard, A. Botte, M. Bourges, Chouquet, Comettant, Cristal, Danjou, Ernest David, F. J. Fétis, O. Fouque, Heller, Héquet, A. Jullien, Kastner, Lacome, A. de La Fage, Liavoix fils, Liszt, de Monter, d'Ortigues, Pougin, Monnais ('Paul Smith'), Richard Wagner, and Johannes Weber. A careful reader of the 47 volumes will easily recognise the sentiments
- ↑ It is Burney who is responsible for the absurd diaeresis with which his name is usually spelt in England—Reütter.
