Musical Memoirs; Comprising an Account of the General State Of
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PARKE (W. -T.). 40 Years principal Oboist, T.Roy. Cov. Gar., Musical Memoirs comprising an Accouut of the G-neral State of Music in England from the first commemoration of Handel in 1784 to 1830 interspersed with numerous Anec- dotes, Musical, Histrionic, etc., 2 vols, cr. 8vo'( 1830 typ.r 5~0 /W<# Ua • rJjb MUSICAL MEMOIRS. VOL. I. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from National Library of Scotland http://www.archive.org/details/musicalmemoirsv100park X MUSICAL MEMOIRS; COMPRISING AN ACCOUNT OF THE GENERAL STATE OF MUSIC IN ENGLAND, FROM THE FIRST COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL, IN 1784, TO THE YEAR 1830. INTERSPERSED WITH NUMEROUS ANECDOTES, MUSICAL, HISTRIONIC, &c. BY W. T. PARKE, FORTY YEARS PRINCIPAL OBOIST TO THE THEATRE ROYAL COVENT GARDEN. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1830. PRINTED IiY A. J. VAIPY, KliD HON COURT, FLEET STREET. PREFACE. "When Music, heavenly maid! was young" the ancients celebrated her with all that fervour and felicity of expression for which they have been so universally and so justly famed; and the moderns, no less ambitious, though more feeble, have offered her all homage, notwithstanding the hoydenish tricks and caprices she has of late dis- played, to the deep regret of all her rational ad- mirers. For my own part, never having tasted of the Pierian spring, and therefore possessing only the cacoethes scribendi, (the zeal without the learning,) I must content myself with observing, in my own plain manner, that in writing an Ac- count of the General State of Music in England — VI PREFACE. during a series of years, I have chosen for its commencement the year 1784, the period when the first commemoration of Handel took place in Westminster Abbey, under the august patronage of his late Majesty, George the Third, and have continued it up to the year 1830, when it was con- sidered that the art had greatly advanced towards perfection; thus comprising a period of forty-seven years, passed under my own immediate observa- tion. I must here remark, that the whole of the events contained therein transpired during my professional engagements at the Theatres Royal Drury Lane, Covent Garden, Haymarket, and the King's Theatre,—the Professional and Salomon's Concerts,—the two Ladies' Concerts,—the No- bility's Sunday Concerts,—the Vocal Concerts, the Royal Concerts,—Vauxhall Gardens,—Coun- try Music-meetings, &c,—in all of which I held a prominent situation as a performer on the Oboe, and also as a Composer. The object of this Work is to give a candid, impartial, and connected account of the Principal Musical Performances, and their various Com- PREFACE. Vll posers, as well as of the most eminent Vocal and Instrumental Performers by whom they were in- troduced to the Public; blended with Remarks and Anecdotes, Musical, Histrionic, &c. As my ministration compels me occasionally to describe peculiarities and defects, I trust the reader will bear in mind that, as there are spots in that great and glorious luminary the Sun, it can scarcely be expected that musicians and actors should be immaculate. INTRODUCTION. As it may be gratifying to the reader to know the state music was in for several years antecedent to the account given in the following work, by way of introduction I propose giving a cursory sketch (as far as my memory furnishes) of musical oc- currences from the time I first began to study the science, and came professionally before the public, to the year 1784, thereby embracing the period at which Garrick retired from the stage, which formed a new era in the art ; for Mr. Linley, who succeeded Garrick as one of the joint patentees of Drury Lane Theatre, placed theatrical music on such an improved and judi- cious footing, as afterwards facilitated its further advancement through the genius of Shield and Storace. VOL. I. A I INTRODUCTION, At the age of ten years I began to study under a distinguished master, Mr. John Parke, my elder brother. My first attempt was on the German flute, and after a year had elapsed, a hautboy and reeds lying accidentally in my way, I took them up, and made my first untaught essay on that instrument by playing a popular dancing tune ; so much to my satisfaction, that I felt an indescribable desire to learn that expressive instrument. My wish was shortly afterwards fully gratified by receiving regular instructions on it from my brother, one of the most eminent players of his time. In two years more I began to study the piano-forte, and had occasionally the valuable aid of Mr. Burney, pianist to Drury Lane Theatre, and nephew to the celebrated musical historian, Dr. Charles Burney, F.R.S. Amongst the publications I practised at that time were six sonatas, composed by Wolfang Mozart when only seven years old ! My studies of the day were succeeded by evening attendances at Drury Lane Theatre, as a soprano chorus singer, at the time Garrick was its pro- prietor; and the first piece I assisted in was a new one written by that performer, produced in December 1775, intitled ' The Christmas Tale,' the pleasing music of which was produced by Charles Dibdin. This romance was got up with great splendour. The scenes were designed by the celebrated painter J. P. de Loutherburg, and — INTRODUCTION. 3 in it were first introduced his newly-invented tran- sparent shades, so much admired afterwards in his popular exhibition called ' The Eidophusicon,' which, by shedding on them a vast body and bril- liancy of colour, produced an almost enchanting effect. Vernon, an excellent actor as well as singer, who played the hero of the opera, had in it the following lines as a recitative : By ray shield and ruy sword ; By the chaplet which circles ray brow ; By a knight's sacred word, Whatever you ask, How dreadful the task, To perform before Heaven I vow. Of this poetic morceau Garrick was very proud, and on Vernon giving it at the last rehearsal with great energy and effect, he was applauded by the other performers present as well as by the musicians in the orchestra. Garrick, who felt a portion of that vanity inseparable from authors, after re- ceiving the compliments of those who surrounded him on the stage, came to the front of it, and addressing Stayner, the leader of the band, and Parke, the principal oboe player, said, " What do you think of that ?" The answer being to his satisfaction, he proceeded to the end of the or- chestra, where sat an eccentric young man, a violin player, (son of a deceased actor,) named 4 INTRODUCTION. George Cross, to whom Garrick had been very kind. " Well, George," said Garrick, " what do you think of it ?" Cross, who was with his back to the stage, popping up his head, replied, in his usual style, " Why, Mr. Garrick, I think its the best singing affidavit I ever heard." That Garrick was not pleased with this ebullition his coun- tenance strongly evinced, and the marked coolness which he ever after displayed to the author of it proved that the said George Cross had not kept in mind the observation of Touchstone : " You'll ne'er be aware of your own wit till you break your shins against it." This same George Cross was engaged, during a following summer, to play a violin in the or- chestra of the Richmond Theatre ; and repeatedly passing his leisure evenings amongst the re- spectable tradesmen of that town, one of them, a butcher, was so much pleased with his oddities, that he made him an offer of his horse for his Sunday excursions, which was accepted. On the morning Cross made his first equestrian jaunt : he had not rode more than five minutes when the animal suddenly turning from the road, ran up to the iron gate of a large mansion, where he stood so firmly fixed, that neither whip nor spur could remove him, till a countryman passing by, led him away. Cross, a little vexed, proceeded on his route; but^ INTRODUCTION. 5 the quadruped shortly afterwards played him a similar trick. Perplexed now in the extreme, Cross made every exertion, in vain, to detach him from the gate ; when, at length, a thought quickly flashing o'er his " mind's eye," he leaned forward, and applying his mouth to the ear of the beast, called out in a shrill and cook-like falsetto, " We don't want any thing to-day!" on which the horse turned into the road, and, at the rate often miles an hour, trotted back to his owner's door. I continued practising at home, and singing in the choruses at Drury Lane Theatre till May, the end of the theatrical season of the year 1776, the period at which Garrick took leave of the public, in the presence of their Majesties, George the Third and his queen, in the character of Don Felix, in the comedy of ' The Wonder,' for the benefit of the Theatrical Fund ; a plan which he had perfected. At the end of the play he spoke a short but pithy address, which appeared to be sensibly felt by the public as well as himself, and retired from the stage for ever, amidst loud and long-continued applause. Mr. Garrick, previous to his retirement, had sold his right in Drury Lane Theatre to Messrs. Sheridan, Linley, and Dr. Ford, for thirty-seven thousand pounds. I was engaged this summer as the tenor violin at Vauxhall Gar- dens, and in August of the same year was articled 6 INTRODUCTION.