Michael

Michael, family of important German musicians:

(1) Rogier Michael, tenor and composer of Netherlandish birth; b. Mons or Bergen op Zoom, c. 1552; d. Dresden, after Jan. 25, 1619. As a child, he sang in the Vienna Hofkapelle. In 1564 he entered the Graz Hofkapelle, where he came under the tutelage of the Kapellmeisters Johannes de Cleve and Annibale Padovano; he then studied under Jacob de Brouck there (1567–69). After singing in the Hofkapelle of the Margrave in Ansbach (1572–74), he went to Dresden as a singer and musician at the Hofkapelle. In 1587 he became Hofkapellmeister; his later assistants there were Michael Praetorius and Heinrich Schütz. Among his pupils was Johann Hermann Schein. Michael’s output, which includes sacred histories, chorale settings, and motets, represents the Netherlands school at its best. He had 3 sons, all of whom were his pupils:

(2) Tobias Michael, composer; b. Dresden, June 13, 1592; d. Leipzig, June 26, 1657. He was a treble in the Dresden Hofkapelle, where he studied with Andreas Petermann, Prazeptor to the choirboys. After studying at the Schulpforta electoral school and at the Univ. of Leipzig, he pursued training in theology and philosophy at the Univ. of Wittenberg (1613–18). In 1619 he was made Kapellmeister of the Neue Kirche in Sondershausen, Thuringia. After holding a government post, he became Kantor of the Leipzig Thomaskirche in 1631. Among his finest works are the 2 vols, of Musicalische Seelenlust (Leipzig, 1634–35; 1637), of which Vol. I includes 30 German motets for 5 Voices and Continuo and Vol. II contains 50 sacred concertos. He also wrote sacred songs and occasional pieces.

(3) Christian Michael, organist and composer; b. Dresden, c. 1593; d. Leipzig, Aug. 29, 1637. He studied at the Univ. of Leipzig, and in 1633 succeeded his brother Samuel as organist of the Leipzig Nicolaikirche. He prepared the vol. Tabulatura, darinnen etzliche Praeludia, Toccaten und Couranten uff das Clavier Instrument gesetzt (Braunschweig, 1639; 2^nd ed., 1645).

(4) Samuel Michael, organist and composer; b. Dresden, c. 1597; d. Leipzig, between Aug. 14 and 17, 1632. He studied at the Univ. of Leipzig, and in 1628 became organist at the Leipzig Nicolaikirche, where he remained until he died from the plague. He composed collections of vocal and instrumental pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire

Michael

An archangel whose Hebrew name means "He who is equal to God." He is mentioned in the book of Daniel as a character in Daniel's visions who is a prince of Persia contending for the Hebrew people. After the Hebrews returned to Palestine from their exile, they began to develop their doctrine of angels. Seven archangels, including Michael and Gabriel, emerged into prominence. In one of the uncanonical Jewish writings, the Assumption of Moses, Michael disputes with Satan for the body of Moses, a belief picked up and mentioned in the Christian New Testament (Jude 9).

The most important quote concerning Michael is found in Revelation 12:7: "There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon." From this it is deduced that Michael is the leader of the celestial hierarchy against Lucifer, the head of the disobedient angels.

His design, according to genealogist Randle Holme, is a banner hanging on a cross, and he is represented as victory with a dart in one hand and a cross on his forehead. Bishop Horsley and others considered Michael as only another name for the Son of God.

In one of the Jewish rabbinical legends, he is the ruler of Mercury, to which sphere he "imparts benignity, motion and intelligence, with elegance and consonance of speech."

Michael ★★½ 1996 (PG)

Following up “Phenomenon” with another celestial storyline, Travolta tries on the giant, molting wings of Michael, an atypical archangel with an amazing joie de vive and an appetite for alcohol, women, and sugar. Residing in Iowa with the elderly Pansy (Stapleton), Michael is being tracked by a cynical tabloid reporter (Hurt) and an angel expert (MacDowell), so he figures he might as well play cupid. The now standard dance sequence in Travolta movies takes place in a bar to the tune of “Chain of Fools” and is one of the movie's standouts. While Travolta gives another stellar performance, Hurt and MacDowell have little to do but play out their tired romantic subplot in a script that could've used some inspiration from its lead character. 105m/C VHS, DVD . John Travolta, William Hurt, Andie MacDowell, Bob Hoskins, Robert Pastorelli, Jean Stapleton, Teri Garr; D: Nora Ephron; W: Nora Ephron, Delia Ephron, Pete Dexter; C: John Lindley; M: Randy Newman.

Michael (1921– ) King of Romania (1927–30, 1940–47). He succeeded his grandfather as a child, surrendered the throne to his father in 1930, and regained it when his father abdicated (1940). He backed the overthrow of the fascist Ion Antonescu in 1944, whereupon Romania joined the Allies in World War II. Michael was forced to abdicate when the communists gained power (1947). His citizenship was restored in 1997.

Michael. Archangel mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures. With Gabriel, he is the only angel mentioned by name in the Bible (Daniel 10. 13).