Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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136 RONDO EOOKE
of the third subject, as in the Sonata in E
minor (op. 90), but in every case the principal
subject will be presented in its entirety at least
three times. But as this was apt to lead to
monotony— especially in the case of a long
subject like that in the Sonata just quoted
Beethoven introduced the plan of varying the
theme slightly on each repetition, or of breaking
off in the middle. It is in such delicate
and artistic modifications and improvements as
these that the true genius shows itself, and not
in the complete abandonment of old rules. In
the earliest example we can take—the Eondo
of the Sonata in A (op. 2, No. 2)—the form of
the opening arpeggio is altered on every recurrence,
while the simple phrase of the third and
fourth bars
^^^^
In the Rondo of the Sonata in El> (op. 7) again,
we find the main subject cut short on its second
appearance, while on its final repetition all
sorts of liberties are taken with it ; it is played
an octave higher than its normal place, a free
variation is made on it, and at last we are
startled by its being thrust into a distant key
— Et|. This last effect has been adopted by
many a composer since—Chopin in the Eondo
of his E minor Pianoforte Concerto, for instance.
Beethoven
It is needless to multiply examples :
shows in each successive work how this apparently
stiff and rigid form can be invested with infinite
variety and interest ; he always contradicted
the idea (in which too few have followed him)
that a Rondo was bound in duty to be an eightbar
subject in 2-4 time, of one unvarying,
jaunty, and exasperatingly jocose character.
The Rondo of the Eb Sonata is most touohingly
melancholy, so is that to the Sonata in E minor
(op. 90), not to mention many others. There wiU
always remain a certain stiffness in this form,
owing to the usual separation of the subject
from its surroundings by a full close. When
this is dispensed with, the piece is said to be
in Rondo-form, but is not called a Rondo {e.g.
the last movement of Beethoven's Sonata op. 2,
No. 3).
Modern composers, like Chopin, with whom
construction was not a strong point, often omit
the central section, or third subject, together
with the repetition of the first subject which
accompanies it, and thus what they call a
Rondo is merely a piece on the plan of a French
overture ; that is to say, having produced all
his material in the first half of the piece, the
composer repeats the whole unchanged, save
that such portions as were in the Dominant
are, in the repetition, given in the Tonic.
Chopin's Rondeau ' brillant ' in E|>, the Adieu
•
i VaMsovie '—indeed all his Rondos—show this
construction. F. c.
RONZI. [See Begnis, de, vol. i. p. 278.]
ROOKE, William Michael, son of John
Rourke, or O'Rourke, a Dublin tradesman, was
born in South Great George's Street, Dublin,
Sept. 29, 1794. His bent for music, which
displayed itself at an early age, was sternly
discouraged by his father, who wished him to
follow his own avocation, but before he was
sixteen, he was, by his father's death, left free
to follow his own inclination. He studied,
almost unaided, so assiduously, that in 1813
he took to music as a profession (having altered
the form of his name), learned counterpoint
under Dr. Cogan, a Dublin professor, and
became a teacher of the violin and pianoforte.
Among his pupils on the former instrument
was Balfe, then a boy. In 1817 he was
appointed chorus-master and deputy leader at
the theatre in Crow Street, Dublin, and soon
afterwards composed a polaoca, 'Oh Glory, in
thy brightest hour,' which was sung by Braham,
and met with great approbation. [In 1818 he
composed his first opera, ' Amilie ' (see below),
and in 1822 he removed to England, where he
became chorus-master at Drury Lane Theatre,
under Tom Cooke, and, in 1830-33, leader at
Vauxhall, under Sir Henry Bishop, w. h. g. f.]
A few years later he removed to England. In
1826 he was leading oratorios at Birmingham,
and in the same year came to London, and
sought the appointment of chorus-master at
Drury Lane, and established himself as a teacher
of singing. His opera, ' Amilie, or The Love
Test,' after he had waited many years for an
opportunity of producing it, was brought out
at Covent Garden, Dee. 2, 1837, with decided
success, and at once established his reputation
as a composer of marked ability. He immediately
commenced the composition of a second
opera, and on May 2, 1839, produced at Covent
Garden 'Henrique, or. The Love Pilgrim, '
which,
although most favourably received, was withdrawn
after five performances on account of a
misunderstanding with the manager. He composed
two more entitled 'Cagliostro,' and The
'
Valkyrie,' which have never been performed.