Rudorff is however in the prime of life, and there is happily no prospect of his laying down his pen. The following is a list of his published works:—
Op. 1, variations for 2 PFs.; op. 2, six songs; op. 3, six do. from Eichendorff; op. 4, six duets for PF.; op. 5, sextet for strings; op. 6, four part-songs for mixed voices; op. 7, romance for cello and orchestra; op. 8, overture to 'Der blonde Ekbert' for orchestra; op. 9, six part-songs for female voices; op. 10, eight Fantasiestücke for PF.; op. 11, four part-songs for mixed voices; op. 12, overture to 'Otto der Schütz' for orchestra; op. 13, four part-songs for mixed voices; op. 14, fantasie for PF.; op. 15, ballade for full orchestra; op. 16, four songs; op. 17, four do.; op. 18, 'Der Aufzug der Romanze,' from Tieck, for solos, chorus and orchestra; op. 20, serenade for orchestra; op. 22, six 3-part songs for female voices; op. 24, variations on an original theme for orchestra; op. 25, four 6-part songs; op. 26, 'Gesang an die Sterne,' by Rückert, for 6-part chorus and orchestra; op. 27, six 4-part songs; op. 27, No. 1 étude for PF.; No. 2 concert étude for do. He has also arranged Schubert's 4-hand fantasia in F minor (op. 103) for orchestra. [App. p.778 "To list of works add Symphonic variations and a Scherzo capriccioso for orchestra."]
[ P. S. ]
RÜBEZAHL. An opera in 2 acts; words by J. G. Rhode, music composed by C. M. von Weber, at Breslau, between October 1804 and May 1806. Weber's autograph list shows that the first act contained 15 scenes, the second 12. Of these pieces of music, however, only 3 have survived (in MS.)—a Chorus of Spirits, a Recitave and Arietta, and a Quintet. Of the overture (in D minor) only the last 11 bars of the first violin part exist: it was recast into the overture called 'The Ruler of the Spirits.' (See Jähns's List, nos. 44, 45, 46, 122; Anhang 2, no. 27.)
[ G. ]
RUFFO, Vincenzo, an Italian composer of the 16th century, included by Baini among the 'good musicians' of his 4th Epoch. He is stated by Fétis to have been born at Verona, and to have become maestro di capella, first of the cathedral at Milan, and then of that of his native place. Eitner gives the date of the latter as 1554. Another notice makes him also Maestro di Capella at Pistoja. Nine separate original publications of his works are mentioned by Fétis and Pougin, embracing a mass; 2 books of motets; 1 do. of Magnificats; 1 do. of psalms; 4 do. of madrigals; and ranging in date from 1550 to 1583. The Catalogue of the Fétis Library, however, contains (No. 2213) a book of madrigals, dated Venice, 1545. The psalms and the mass are stated in the prefaces (1568, 74) to have been written for his patron Card. Borromeo, in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent (1563). An 'Adoramus' has been reprinted by Luck, and a madrigal, 'See from his ocean bed,' for 4 voices, was edited by Oliphant, and is given in Hullah's 'Part Music, Class A.' The Library of Ch. Ch., Oxford, has a MS. motet à 3 of his, and the Sacred Harmonic Society (No 1940) two madrigals.
[ G. ]
RUGGIERI, the name of a celebrated family of violin-makers, who flourished at Cremona and Brescia. The eldest was Francesco, commonly known as 'Ruggieri il Per' (the father), whose instruments date from 1668 to 1720 or thereabouts. John Baptist (1700–1725) and Peter (1700–1720), who form the second generation of the family, were probably his sons; and John Baptist (called 'il buono'), who was indisputably the best maker in the family, claims to have been a pupil of Nicholas Amati. Besides these, we hear of Guido and Vincenzo Ruggieri, both of Cremona, early in the eighteenth century. The instruments of the Ruggieri, though differing widely among themselves, bear a general resemblance to those of the Amati family. They rank high among the works of the second-rate makers, and are often passed off as Amatis.
[ E. J. P. ]
RUINS OF ATHENS, THE. A dramatic piece (Nachspiel) written by Kotzebue, and composed by Beethoven (op. 113), for the opening of a new theatre at Pesth, February 9, 1812, when it was preceded in the ceremony by 'King Stephen' (op. 117). It contains an overture and 8 numbers, and was probably composed late in 1811. The 'Marcia alla turca,' No. 4, is founded on the theme of the Variations in D, op. 76, which was composed two years earlier. The March and Chorus, no. 6, were used in 1822, with the Overture, op. 124, for the opening of the Josephstadt Theatre, Vienna. The Overture to 'The Ruins of Athens' and the Turkish March were published in 1823, but the rest of the music remained in MS. till 1846.
[ G. ]
RULE, BRITANNIA! The music of this noble 'ode in honour of Great Britain,' which, according to Southey, 'will be the political hymn of this country as long as she maintains her political power,' was composed by Arne for his masque of 'Alfred' (the words by Thomson and Mallet), and first performed at Cliefden House, Maidenhead, Aug. 1, 1740. Cliefden was then the residence of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and the occasion was to commemorate the accession of George I, and the birthday of Princess Augusta. The masque was repeated on the following night, and published by Millar, Aug. 19, 1740.
Dr. Arne afterwards altered the masque into an opera, and it was so performed at Drury Lane Theatre on March 20, 1745, for the benefit of Mrs. Arne. In the advertisements of that performance, and of another in April, Dr. Arne entitles 'Rule, Britannia!' 'a celebrated ode,' from which it may be inferred that it had been especially successful at Cliefden, and had made its way, though the masque itself had not been performed in public. Some detached pieces had been sung in Dublin, but no record of a public performance in England has been discovered.
The year 1745, in which the opera was produced, is memorable for the Jacobite rebellion in the North, and in 1746 Handel produced his 'Occasional Oratorio,' in which he refers to its suppression, 'War shall cease, welcome Peace,' adapting those words to the opening bars of
