1772. =Joseph Wolff= (Salzburg), 1772-1812. Pianist and composer, who studied under Michael Haydn. In extemporisation on the piano he was popularly considered superior to Beethoven. He published many chamber music works, but his career was not successful. He died in London forgotten, and, it is said, almost destitute. 1772. =Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia= (Friedrichsfelde), 1772-1806. Distinguished amateur musician and composer of interesting chamber music. 1776. =Ignaz Schuppanzigh= (Vienna), 1776-1830. He, as leader, with Mayseder, Weiss, and Lincke, constituted the celebrated string quartett which first performed Beethoven’s works, under the composer’s own direction. 1778. =J.N. Hummel= (Pressburg), 1778-1837. Distinguished musician. Pupil of Mozart. Composer of chamber music, of which it may be said that while good, it was but superficial in feeling. 1780. =Luigi Borghi=, violinist and composer, who resided in London about 1780. He wrote some excellent sonatas for violin, and for viola d’amore and double bass. 1781. =Antonio Diabelli= (Mattsee), 1781-1858. A prolific but by no means great composer. He was a pupil of Michael Haydn, but afterwards became a music publisher in Vienna. He published Schubert’s works, and, it is said, did not pay that master well. 1782. =J.F. Mazas= (Béziers), 1782-1849. Violinist and composer of chamber music. 1782. =John Field= (Dublin), 1782-1837. Chiefly known as a pianist, and for his nocturnes for piano. He also wrote some chamber music. 1782. =N. Paganini= (Genoa), 1782-1840. Probably the greatest of violin virtuosi. As a player in classical quartetts he was said to have been a failure. He did not subordinate himself sufficiently to the general meaning and effect of the music. 1783. =Joseph Lincke= (Vienna), 1783-1837. Violoncellist in the Rasumowsky and Schuppanzigh Quartetts, with whom Beethoven’s name was so much associated. 1783. =Graf von Gallenberg= (Vienna), 1783-1839. Beethoven is said to have been in love with the Countess Guicciardi (who eventually became the Countess Gallenberg), and he dedicated his so-called moonlight sonata to her. Beethoven wrote a set of variations on a theme of Gallenberg’s. 1784. =Ferdinand Ries= (Bonn), 1784-1838. Pianist, composer, and teacher. Was an intimate friend of Beethoven, and wrote a biography of that master. 1784. =François J. Fétis= (Mons, Belgium), 1784-1871. Distinguished literary musician, who wrote also some chamber music of interest, if not of genius.