GANZ, Wilhelm, eminent musician: b. Mainz, Germany, 6 Nov. 1833; d. London, 12 Sept. 1914. At the age of 15 he came to Lon don with his father, who was chorus master at Her Majesty's Theatre. In 1850 he defi nitely settled in London as an accompanist, in which capacity he acted for Jenny Lind in England and Scotland. He was a church organist for some years and also played the violin in the New Philharmonic Orchestra in 1852, of which he became conductor in 1874. In 1884 Ganz turned his attention to the teach ing of singing, and up to his death was a pro fessor at the Guildhall School of Music. He had a jubilee concert at the Albert Hall in 1898 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his first visit to England, and a diamond jubilee concert in 1908. A number of leading sopranos —including Patti —preferred his style of ac companiment to that of more strenuous players.
GAP, France, capital of the department of Hautes-Alpes, on the Luye, 2,418 feet above sea-level, 50 miles from Briancon and 85 from Grenoble. It contains a fine cathedral, entirely
reconstructed in 1866-1905, an episcopal palace, the tomb of the constable de LesdiFuieres, a lyceum, library, a prefecture containing scien tific and archeological collections. Gap has a few small manufactories, including those of hats, leather, cement, etc. The town was founded as Vapincum by Augustus in 14 a.c. It was long a part of Provence but passed to the dauphins of Viennois in 1232. From the 5th century it was an episcopal see and its bishops for a time (1232-1512) ruled the dis trict. In 1512 it was annexed to the Crown of France. It is the birthplace of Guillaume Farel, the reformer. Pop. 11,000. Consult Roman, J., 'Histoire de la ville de Gap' (Gap 1892).