Macerata

MACERATA, city of the Marches, Italy, chief town of the province of Macerata and a bishop's see, 44 m. by rail south of Ancona. Pop. (1931), 14,382 (town), 26,422 (commune). Crowning a hill 1,020 ft. above sea-level, with a picturesque mass of buildings enclosed by walls and towers, Macerata looks out over the Adriatic. Besides the university (1290) with 102 stu dents of jurisprudence, Macerata has a communal library founded by Leo XII., containing a small but choice collection of early pictures, and in the municipal buildings, a collection of antiqui ties from Helvia Ricina. Close by is the elegant Loggia dei Mercanti, by Giuliano da Maiano (1485-91). There is an enor mous amphitheatre for pallone, a favourite ball game.

The first mention of the castellum of Macerata is in a document of 1022 ; and in 1138 it was formed into a commune. Nicholas IV. (1287-1292) made it the seat of the governors of the Marches. It was enclosed in the 13th century by a line of walls more than 21 m. in circuit. It remained faithful to the popes, and was rewarded by many privileges. Though in 1797 the inhabitants opened their gates to the French, two years afterwards, the city was stormed and pillaged. The bishopric of Macerata dates from the suppression of the see of Recanati (132o).

McEVOY, AMBROSE (1878-1927)

, English portrait painter, born at Crudwell, Wilts., on Aug. 12, 1878. His father, a friend of Whistler, encouraged him to take up art, and he entered the Slade school in London at the age of 15. He there

became acquainted with Augustus John, in whose company he often worked. He soon established a reputation by his clever portraits in line and wash, and became a favourite society portrait painter also in oil colour. He was elected associate of the Royal Academy in 1924. After his death a large collection of his paint ings was shown at the winter exhibition of the Royal Academy in 1928.

See C. Johnson, The Works of Ambrose McEvoy, etc., 2 vols., illus trated (limited ed., 1919) ; R.M.Y.G., Ambrose MacEvoy (1924).

McEWEN, SIR JOHN BLACKWOOD

), Scottish composer, was born at Hawick on April 13. Educated in Glasgow, he came to London in 1891. In 1893 he entered the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied for two years under Prout, Corder and Matthay. He then returned to Scotland and settled at Greenock as choirmaster of South Parish church and teacher of piano and composition at Glasgow. In 1898 he joined the staff of the Royal Academy of Music in London and from 1924 to 1936 was principal, having succeeded Sir Alexander Mackenzie. He was one of the founders of the Society of British Composers (1m). In 1926 he received the degree of Mus. D. honoris cause from Oxford university. His works include Grey Galloway, one of three Border ballads for orchestra; the "Solway" symphony, published by the Carnegie Trust (produced at Bournemouth 1922), and the string quartet "Biscay." He was knighted in 1931.