BERLIJN, ANTON (ARON WOLF):
Conductor and composer; born at Amsterdam May 21, 1817; died there Jan. 16, 1870. He wrote nine operas, seven ballets, an oratorio ("Moses auf Nebo"), a symphony, a cantata, a mass, several overtures, chamber-music, etc. Of these his symphony, performed by Spohr at Cassel, 1857, is undoubtedly his best work. Berlijn was a skilful contrapuntist, and his compositions are distinguished by grace and brilliancy, though their popularity was confined principally to Holland.
During his long service as conductor at the Royal Theater at Amsterdam, he was held in high regard by the king, who in 1860 bestowed upon him the decoration of the order of merit of the king of Holland. In addition to this he received the gold medal for merit of the king of the Belgians (1845), and similar decorations from the kings of Denmark (1845), Greece (1846), and Sweden (1848), the emperor of Austria (1848), Prince Frederick of the Netherlands (1858), and the grand dukes of Saxe-Coburg (1864) and Nassau. Berlijn was also a member of the St. Cecilia Society of Rome, of the Archeological Society of Athens, etc.
- Baker, Dict. of Musicians, New York, 1900;
- Mendel, Musikalisches Konversations-Lexikon.
