GRETRY, ANDRE-ERNEgT-MODESTE, a celebrated and once moat popular composer of French operas, was born at Liege in 1741.
At the age of four he gave distinct proofs of the influence which rhythm exercised over his excitable nerves. At six he was placed under a music-master, whose roughness of manners soon rendered it necessary that another teacher should bo found for him, and the second proved as gentle as the other bad been savage. A company of Italian performers being engaged at Liege, Gretry, then ten years old, was allowed to sing with them in the operas of Pergolesi, Galuppi, &c.; the bent and strength of his genius was proved, and his destiny was fixed. In his eighteenth year he set out for Rome, and com menced his musical studies under Casali.
During a long residence in the capital of the Papal States, then a musical city, Gretry had constant opportunities of hearing the best works of the first masters, which at length inspired him with a wish to try his own powers. An occasion soon presented itself; he was invited by the manager of the Alberti theatre to set a short opera, ' La Vendemiatrice,' which met with decided 'success. He was caressed by every order of society, and bad the gratification of hearing his airs sung in all the streets. He then went to Bologna, and, having stood the customary test of ability, was admitted a member of the Societh Filliarmonica: After this he proceeded to Geneva, and produced his first French opera, 'Isabella et Gertrude,' which was most favourably received. There he formed an acquaintance with Voltaire, which con tinued to the close of the poet's life.
M. Gretry nettled finally in Paris, and immediately commenced that brilliant career which, as an artist, scarcely ever suffered the slightest interruption. He speedily joined the society of the literati of Paris, and with Marmontel his intimacy was close and continued.
Intercoures of this kind eharpened his intellect and strengthened his judgment, and much of his success as a composer may bo attributed to that vigour of mind which he in a great measure acquired by mixing with men of lively imagination, corrected by education.
At the period of the Revolution, Gretry, then 'le Citoyen,' became, to all appearance, a zealous republican ; and set some of the revolu timely songs. Napoleon never liked him, and on one occasion he was provoked to rebuke the despotio and rude conqueror in a marked manner. Nevertheless, he was made a member of the French National Institute, Inspector of the 'Conservatoire,' &c. Gretry died in 1813, and was buried with great pomp close by Delille, the poet. The peo ple of Liege demanded as a right to have possession of the heart of their distinguished countryman, and the matter underwent long and grave litigation, which terminated in favour of the claimants.
Gretry 's operas are too numerous to be named here. The best known are, 'La Caravane du Caire ;" Le Tableau Parlant;"L'Ainitie FL PEpreuve; Zemire et A tor ;"LesMariagesSamnites;" Richard Cceur de-Lion ;"Barbe-Bleu ; "Panurge ;" Cephalo et Procrie,'&c. Some of these have been produced on the English stage, with great success; and others have beau pillaged by one at least of our deceased pseudo composers. In 1780, M. Gretry published his cur la Musique,' in three 8vo. volumes; and in 1793 the republican government printed a second edition of the work. These essays are ingenious, rather than entertaining, and exhibit much good musical criticism ; but they betray no inconsiderable share of vanity, as well as a want of know ledge of what had already been written on the subject.