Nitzsch, Karl Lud'wig, fjither of the preceding, and likewise a noted (jerman theologian, though not equally famous, was born in 1751, and was educated at Jena and Halle. Alter preaching for some time he be- came professor of theology at Wittenberg Liniversity, and there so distinguished himself that he was placed at the head of the Homiletical Seminary, and made general superintendent of religion. He died in 1831. He wrote a " Dissertation on the Sense of the Apostles' Decree, Acts xv, 29," in the Commentationes Theolor/icce, vol. vi, and various other pieces in current periodicals and theological collections in Germany. A pretty full account of his life and writings is given in Herzog, Real- EncyMopddie, x, 387-392, by his son, Karl Immanuel, of whom we have treated above. (J. H. W.)
Nivelle, Gabriel Nicolas, a French theologian, noted as a polemic, was born at Paris in 1687. While yet quite young he was appointed commendatory prior of St. Gereon, in the diocese of Nantes. He studied theology in the seminary of St. Magloire, where he con- tinued afterwards to reside, and became one of the most zealous among the appellants. He drew up petitions, visited members of the clergy in Paris, and kept up active communications with the provinces on the sub- ject. Compelled to leave St. Magloire, he retired, in 1723, to the Yal de Grace; and in 1730 was for four months a prisoner in the Bastille, where he still, how- ever, continued his efforts. He died at Paris Jan. 7, 1761. He wrote Lu Constitution Unigenitus dcjeree a rEfflise unirerselk, on recueil general des actes d'appel interjetees aufatur concile general de cette constitution et des Lettres Pastoralis officii (Cologne, 1757, 4 vols, fol.) : — also, in making use of the memoirs of abbot Boucher, Relation de ce qui s'est passe dans les assemblies de la faculte de theologie au sujet de la Constitution Unigenitus (7 vols. 12rao). He was one of the writers of the /Jex- aptes ou les six Colonnes sur la constitution Unigenitus (1714 sq., 7 vols. 4to), and of the Cri de la Foi (1719, 3 vols. 12mo). He also published two posthumous works of Petilpied : Exumen pacijique de V acceptation et da fond de la constitution Unigenitus (1749, 3 vols. 12mo), and Traite de la liberte (1754, 2 vols. 12mo). See Ne- crologedes defenseurs de la verite (supplement). — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale. xxxviii, 102 ; Hook, Eccles. Biog. s. V. (J. N. P.)
Nivers, (iLiLLAUME-OABniEi., a French priest and composer of sacred music, was born in 1617, in a village in the environs of ^Melun. He was at first placed as choir-boy at IMclun, and learned music in the collegiate church of that city. He afterwards went to p\irsue liis studies in the college of Jleaux, then at Paris, where he entered the seminary of St. Sulpice to pursue a theo- logical course. Carried away by his taste for music, he took lessons upon the harpsichord from Chaml)on- niere, and in a short time acquired a proficiency which caused him to be appointed, at the age of twenty-three, organist of St. Sulpice. Two years after he entered the king's chapel in the capacity of tenor. In 1667, one of the places for organist at this chapel, having be- come vacant, was given to Nivers, who still continued to fulfil the same duties in the church of St. Sulpice. Several years later he was made master of music to the queen and organist of the Royal House of the young la- dies of St. Cyr, when, in 1688, iladame de Maintcnon founded that establishment. It was Nivers who held the harpsichord when, for the first time, the young ladies of this institution represented before the king Racine's Es- ther and Athalie, the choruses of which had been set to music by INIoreau. We are ignorant of the precise date of Nivei-s's death; but we have proof that he was still living in 1701, by an approbation that he gave in the same year to a new edition of his Roman Graduel and A ntiphonaire, printed at the house of Chr. Ballard. Ni- vers was then eighty-four years old. This learned and laborious musician has left a large number of works. We have, La gamme du iSi ; nouvelle methode p)our appren-
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dre a solfier sans muances (Paris, 1646, 8vo). This book, of which several editions have appeared under different titles, has contributed powerfully, by its brev- ity and the simplicity of its method, to the reform of solmization b}' change of note, which was still in vogue in the time of Nivers, notwithstanding the efforts of other musicians of the latter part of the 10th century to abolish it : — Methode certaine pour apprendre le plain- chant de VEf/lise (ibid. 1667) : — Traiie de la composition mnsique (ibid. 1667, 8vo) : — Dissertation siir le chant fjrefjorien (ibid. 1683, 8vo). Nivers gave in this dis- sertation, as well as in the following works, a proof of his perfect knowledge of ecclesiastical music: — Chants d'EfiUse a Vusage de la parvisse de St. Sulpice (ibid. 1656, r2mo) : — Graduate Romamun juxta missale Pii Qninti pontificis maximi authoritate editum; cujus mo- dulatio concinne disposita ; in usum et f/ratiam monuliiun ordiiiis i>ancti-Aur/ustini, etc. (ibid. 1658, 4to): — Anii- phonarium Romamun juxta Breviarium Pii Quinti, etc. (ibid. 1658, 4to) : — Passiones D. N. J. C. cum benedictione cerei paschalis (ibid. 1670, 4to) : — Lemons de Tenebres selon Vusage Romain (ibid, 4to). This collection and the preceding have been united in one volume, having for a title Les Passions avec VExultet et les legons de Te- nebres de M. Nivers (ibid. 1689, 4to) -.—Chants et Motets a I'usaf/e de VEglise et communante de Dames de la royale maison de Saint-Louis a Saint-Cyr (ibid. 1692, 4to). A second edition of this work, arranged and enlarged by several motets by Clerembault, has been published (ibid. 17"23, 2 vols. 4to) : — Licre d'oryue, contenant cent jyieces de tous les tons de VEglise (ibid. 1665, 4to) : — Deux- iAme Livre d'orrjiie, etc. (ibid. 1071, 4to) : — Troisieme Licre d'orgue (ibid. 1675, 4to). Other books of organ pieces by the same author have appeared at more re- cent periods. These jiiecos, correctly written, in a style whicli recalls that of the German organists of the 17th century, justify the reputation which Nivers enjoyed in his time as composer. See Bourdclot, I/isfoire de la Mu- sique ; De la Borde, Essai sur la Musique ; Choron et Faj'oUe, Dictionnuire historique des Musiciens ; Patria. Histoire de Vart musical en France; Fetis, Biof/. Univ. des Musiciens. — Hoefer, Nouv, Biog. Generale, xxxviii, 100 sq.