AUBER, O'brte, DANIEL FRANCOIS ESPRIT (1782-1871). A famous French operatic com poser. He was horn at Caen, Normandy, and died in Paris. His father, an amateur painter and violinist of some note, was a dealer in prints, and sent him to England to learn the trade. But his love for music soon asserted itself, and in 1804 he returned to Paris, where his musical compositions soon attracted attention. His con certos for the 'cello and violin were performed with great success by Lamare and Mazas re spectively. In 1811,a resetting of an old libretto, Julie, to the accompaniment of six stringed-in struments, won the admiration of Cherubini at a performance by amateurs. Cherubini then gave Auber instruction in composition, and a part of a mass written about this time is preserved as the prayer in La muette de Portia. Auber's one act opera, Le sejour militairc (1813), was a dis mal failure, and the discouraged composer did not again tempt fortune until his father's death left him without means of livelihood. His next work, Le testament et lcs billets-doux (1819), was not successful, but La bergerc chatelaine (1820), a comic opera in the Rossinian style, was enthusiastically received, and the composer's fame increased with subsequent works, which fol lowed in rapid succession (over forty in all) un til his very death. Le maeon was produced at the Paris 00ra Comique (1825) and is one of the stock pieces of the German opera-houses to day. La in ?tette de Portici (o• Masaniello, also Fencna), 1828. is his most serious opera. The
author of sparkling nuv,ie of the light order here sounded broader and deeper emotions and pro duced strongly dramatic contrasts. Fra. Diavolo was performed in 1830, and has remained his most popular work. Other operas still retained in the modern repertoire are: Le philtre (1831) ; Le choral de bronze (1835) ; Lc domino noir (1837); Le lac des fees (1839), and Les diamants dc la couronne (1S41). Ile was chosen to succeed Cossec at the Academy in 1829, became director of the Conservatoire in 1842, and was appointed court chapel master by Napoleon III. in 1857. Auber is deemed the founder of what the French call grand opera; Rossini's Guillaume Tell (1829), Halevy's La jnire (1835), and Meyerheer's Robert le (liable (1831) and lies Huguenots (1836) show the influence spread by La innette de Pnrtici. The formal structure, the musical individualization of conflicting ethnographical or religious ele ments, the stirring mass-effects, the local color in the orchestra brought to a high state of per fection, and the pageantry of these works, are all derived from Auber. In opera comique, too, Auber Occupies a prominent place. For exter nal polish. captivating melody, brilliant orches tration, dash and Parisian chic, his music re mains nnexeelled. Consult G. T. Ferris, Great Musical Composers (New York, 1887).