GLUCK, CIIRISTOPII WILLIBALD vow, a German musical composer, who may be con sidered the father of the modern opera, was b. July 2, 1714, at Weissenwangen, in the Upper Palatinate. He learned the rudiments of music in one of the common schools of Prague, and as a wandering musician went to Vienna, where he found opportunity to master the rules of counterpoint and harmony. In 1738,, he went to Italy, to com plete his musical education, and found a worthy master in San-Martini. After four Years of study he wrote his first opera, Artaxerxes, which was performed at Milan, 1741. was followed by Ipermnestra and Demetrio, given at Venice, 1742, and several others in the two following years, produced at Milan and Turin. 'Having achieved a high reputation, Gluck was invited to London, where his Fall of the Giants was repre sented in 1745. He found a formidable rival in Handel, whose genius lie honored, and he derived great advantages from the friendship of Dr. Arne, the English composer, and his lady, an excellent singer. It was here that lie began to develop the full force of that lyric genius which was destined soon to create a new order of musical composi tion; but the outbreak of the rebellion in Scotland closed the opera, the singers and musicians being mostly Roman Catholics, and Gluck returned to Vienna. In 1754 he
was called to Rome, where be wrote La Clemenza di Tito, Antigono, and several others. But lie did not rise to that hiath style of art which distinguished his later works until he found at Florence, in Ranieri di Calzabig,i, a poet whose dramas were worthy of his music. He then composed the three operas, Alceste, Pa ride e Elena, and Orfeo, which became the foundation of an imperishable fame. He made music the interpreter of poetry, giving to it the fullest expression. His simple, noble, and grand style filled Europe with admiration. He changed no less the action of the stage than the music. Before him all was artificial and insipid. He made everything natural and effective. At Paris. 1777, he became the rival of the great Italian composer PieMi, and the city was divided into two rival factions of the Gluekists and the Picinists. He conquered with his Iphigenie en Tauride, 1779. Picini, who had composed an opera on the same subject, would not allow his to be performed after listening to that of his rival. His grefit triumph was followed by several successful works, and he enjoyed the highest patronage and prosperity. He died of apoplexy, Nov. 25. 1787. Burney has charac terized him in a single phrase, when he calls him "the Michael Angelo of music."