CHERUBIM, It5'rio-Wia".. Mama. Lt IGI CARLO ZEN01310 SALVATOIII: (1760-181•). An Italian composer. Ile was born in Florence. and began to study music at the age of six, under his father, a musician in the Pergola Theatre. and composition when nine years of age. under the brothers Felici and Bizarri and Castrucci. Ills earliest work was a Mass and Credo in D, and by 1776 his list included a Te Donn and an ora torio. Granted an allowance by the Grand Duke, he went to Bologna in 177S, spending there and in four years miller Sarti, whom he acquired his remarkable knowledge of counter point and fugue. In 1780 his first opera. Qui»to Fobio, was produced, and was followed quickly by other dramatic works. In 1784 he went to Lon don, and held the post of composer to the King for one year. Here two operas, La finta /wino ressa and Giulio Sabino. were brought. out In 1785 he visited Paris, and later Turin, and pro duced Ifigenia in Aulide (1787), returning in 1788 to make Paris his home. Th'nzophon (1788) indicated that he was adopting a new style, and Lodoiska (1791) proved that he lied abandoned the light Neapolitan style of his ear lier works. Among later operas were: Elise (1794) ; 1/&fre (1797) : L'hotellerie portuyfrisp (1798) : Les dens journers, in German called Der Wassertriiger, and considered his operatic mas (1800) and Innen:on (1803).
In 1795 rheruhini was appointed one of the inspecteurs des Oudes in the new Conservatory of Music. In 1805 lie went to Vienna to write
an opera for the Imperial Opera House. Here he made the acquaintance of Haydn and Beethoven, both of whom considered the opera Funisket (18001 a masterpiece. lie returned to France. but finding little favor with Napoleon, went to the estate of the Prince de Chimay to recuperate. At the latter's request he wrote a church eompo sition, the famous Mass in F (18091, and after that date wrote almost exclusively sacred music. In 1811 he was made a knight of the Legion of Honor by Louis XV111. In 1S15 Cherubini visited London. where he composed a symphony and overtures for the Philharmonic Society. In 1816 he was appointed. with Lesneur, musician and superintendent of the King's chapel, and I821-11 he was director of the Paris Conserva tory. which he advanced to the high standard it still preserves. Chernbini has been called "the link classic idealism and modern roman ticism." "His sacred compositions, notably the requiems in C and D (1817 and 1816), are dis tingmished by a severe grandeur. and his dra matic work by brilliant and original instru mental effects." His work on counterpoint (1S35) is still a standard. For his life, consult: Berlioz, .Th'inoires (Paris. 187S) chc rubini (London, 1871) with catalogue of compo sitions, and the memoir by Pougin. in Le Ih.nes Ire/ ; and rrowest, Cherubim (London and New York. 1890).