played in England; its peculiarities greatly fascinated musicians, and it has always been the most esteemed, as it is certainly the best, of his sacred works. The opera "Pietro von Abano," was brought out in October, 1827, and "Der Alchymist" in July, 1830—the latter with such success as to induce its adaptation to the English stage in 1832. The cantata "Vater Unser," known here as "The Christian's Prayer," was first performed in 1829. "The Violin School," which expounds the author's principles of playing, was completed in the Autumn of 1831; this is the first theoretical work for the instrument in which enharmonic distinction is disregarded in the system of fingering. In the summer of 1832 Spohr, contemplating a tribute to the memory of his friend, Pfeiffer, purposed to set as a cantata "Die Weihe der Töne," a poem of this author. In working out his design he found the words to be unavailable for music, although suggestive of musical ideas; and he therefore modified his plan into that of the symphony which bears the name of the poem. This was first played at Cassel in 1833, and in England in 1835, it being here called "The Power (instead of the consecration or appropriation) of Sound." The death of Mad. Spohr, 20th November, 1834, was a severe calamity to her husband, and greatly unsettled him in his pursuits. He was engaged at the time on the oratorio "Des Heilands letzte Stunden," known here under the several names of "The Crucifixion" and "Calvary;" and it must have been the association of this work with the circumstances under which it was written, which led him to regard it as his masterpiece. It was first performed on Good Friday, 1835. Left alone with his youngest, his only unmarried daughter, Spohr was inconsolable for the loss of his wife. To fill up the void occasioned by this bereavement he married for the second time in January, 1836, and a sister of his late friend, Pfeiffer, became his comforter in affliction. He came to conduct "The Crucifixion" at the Norwich festival in 1839, and he was then engaged to compose "The Fall of Babylon" for the festival of 1842. The text of this was written in English by Mr. E. Taylor, translated into German for Spohr, who understood not our language, to set to music, and translated back again to fit the words to the notes. It was greatly wished that he should direct its first performance, but the grand-duke despotically refused him leave of absence for the occasion. Prior to this the eighth symphony, "Earthliness and Godliness in the Life of Man," for a double orchestra, had been played in Cassel and reproduced in London. The idea of assigning a definite expression to instrumental music having been eminently successful in the "Weihe der Töne," Spohr also carried it out, but less happily, in this work, as likewise in the "Historical Symphony" (No. 6), representing four musical epochs, and in the "Seasons," which was his ninth and last symphony. In 1843 Spohr came again to England, and besides conducting one of the Philharmonic concerts, directed a performance, by the Sacred Harmonic Society, of his last oratorio. "Die Kreutzfahrer," which was the last opera he wrote, was produced with indifferent success in 1844. He divided with Liszt the conductorship of the festival for the inauguration of Beethoven's monument at Bonn in 1845. The 25th anniversary of his entering upon his duties at Cassel was celebrated there in January, 1847, with great festivity; the municipality presented him with the freedom of the city, he was crowned with laurels after a performance of "Jessonda," and the many other acts of homage he received testified as much to the personal regard as to the artistic esteem in which he was held. In the ensuing June he paid a short visit to London, where he met his usual welcome. In 1852 he was engaged to conduct the new Philharmonic concerts in London, and to compose recitatives in place of the spoken dialogue for "Faust," and direct the performance of this work at the royal Italian opera. He came here once more to superintend the production of "Jessonda" at the same establishment, in 1853, and this proved to be his last sojourn among us. On his return to Cassel he wrote the septet for pianoforte and other instruments, which, although he continued to compose until the end of his life, was the last work he published. In 1857 he resigned his office and retired upon a pension, taking leave of the orchestra he had directed for thirty-five years, and of the public, after conducting a performance of "Jessonda." This was an occasion of as deep regret to the many who surrounded him, as of genuine homage to himself. Twice afterwards he was prevailed upon to appear again at the head of an orchestra, namely, when "Jessonda" was played at the Prague festival, in July, 1858, and when a concert entirely of his music was given in his honour at Meiningen, in April, 1859. His tall athletic figure was unbent by age, and his life-long habit of vigorous personal exercise continued until, in the January preceding his death, he broke his arm by a fall upon the ice.
Spohr's playing was remarkable for grace of expression and perfection of finish; the breadth of style and grandeur of tone that might have been expected from one of his athletic figure, were not among his characteristics. Few if any composers have exercised such influence upon their contemporaries as Spohr did, and many living writers may be counted among his imitators. He is excluded from a place among the greatest masters by the fact of his constant employment of the same resources—his constant reproduction of the same forms and the same expression. Perfection of detail marks all his works, and his consummate mastery of orchestration is always evident. No one has contributed so extensively as he to the repertory of his own instrument, for which he wrote fifteen concertos, and very many smaller concert pieces; and his thirty-three quartets also display the violin to special advantage. His autobiography, printed since his death, contains the minutest particulars of his first forty years; it is written with charming fluency, and exhibits completely his personal and artistic character.—G. A. M.
SPON, James, an eminent French physician, born at Lyons in 1647. He was admitted a doctor of medicine in 1667, and two years afterwards became a member of the College of Physicians at Lyons. During these two years he became intimate with Charles Patin, and from him probably contracted a passion for archæology. The king's antiquary, Vaillant, passing through the town a short time afterwards in search of medals and antiquities, Spon accompanied him to Dalmatia, Greece, and the Levant, in company with Mr. (afterwards Sir) George Wheeler. He was author of "Recherches des Antiquités et Curiosités de la ville de Lyons;" "Ignotorum atque obscurorum deorum aræ;" "Voyage de la Grece et du Levant." Being a protestant, he had to quit Lyons after the revocation of the edict of Nantes, and died in great distress at Vevay in 1685.—W. J. P.
SPONTINI, Gaspardo Luigi Pacifico, a musician, was born November 14, 1784, at Jesi, a small town in the Roman states. He had the good fortune to be initiated in the art of counterpoint by the celebrated Padre Martini at Bologna, and afterwards studied the elements of dramatic composition under Borroni at Rome. He then entered the conservatory della Pietà at Naples, as much, it may be presumed, for the purpose of gaining an appointment there, as with a view of acquiring any additional information. He, however, did not fail to profit by the instructions of Sala and Trajetta, at that time directors of the establishment, and at the end of twelve months attained his object, in being elected one of the teachers of the school. When he had completed his seventeenth year he began his career as a composer. The result of his first effort was an opera-buffa, named "I Puntiglia della Donne," of which the success was so great that the managers of many other theatres immediately showed their eagerness to obtain his assistance. At the age of eighteen he presented himself at the first theatre in Rome, where he gave "Gli Amanti in Cimento." Thence he proceeded to Venice, and produced "L'Amor Secreto." Shortly after he returned to Rome, and set to music the Isola Disabitata of Metastasio, which, not having been performed there, he sent to Palermo; whither, however, he could not proceed in person, being again invited to Naples, where he commenced an acquaintance with Cimarosa, and becoming his disciple, derived from that great master of melody whatever knowledge is communicable on a subject of such supreme importance in the art. During the five years that he continued under auspices so favourable to his improvement, he composed one of his best early works, "L'Erotismo Ridicolo." After this he went to Florence, where his serious opera, "Teseo Riconoscinto," obtained brilliant success. He again returned to Naples, and brought out "La Finta Filosofa" and "La Fuga in Maschera." At this period, the king of Naples and his court being at Palermo, the director of the theatre royal of Santa-Cecilia invited Spontini into Sicily, and he there wrote two comic operas, "I Quadri Parlanti" and "Il Finto Pittore," also one serious opera, "Gli Elisi Delasi," in celebration of the birth of the prince royal. The climate of the island not agreeing with the young composer, he returned to Rome, in which city he composed "Il Geloso" and "L'Audace." Shortly after, being again invited to Venice, he there produced two other operas, "Le Metamorfosi di Pasquale," and "Chi piu guarda meno
