EDWARD JOHN HOPKINS. This content downloaded from 76.190.40.17 on Fri, 16 Nov 2018 20:37:41 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms THE MUSICAL TIMES. SEPTEMBER I, IS97. 585 THE ASSOCIATED BOARD of the R.A.M. and stock. His father, George Hopkins, and his R.C.M. for LOCAL EXAMINATIONS in MUSIC. father's brother, Edward Hopkins, were both President-H.R.H. the PRINCE OF WALES, K.G. excellent clarinettists, and as such they played THOMAS THRELFALL, Esq., Chairman. in the orchestra at Covent Garden at the The Hon. G. W. SPENCER LYTTELTON, C.B., Deputy-Chairman. production of Weber's opera " Oberon " (April LIST of PROFESSORS who are EXAMINERS to the BOARD. I2, I826), under the composer's direction. E. F. Arbos, Esq. T. A. Matthay, Esq. J. F. Barnett, Esq. G. P. Moore, Esq. Two brothers of the subject of our sketch, G. J. Bennett, Esq., Mus. Doc. W. Nicholl, Esq. John and Thomas Hopkins, also became A. C. Bent, Esq. A. O'Leary, Esq. O. Beringer, Esq. A. Oswald, Esq. organists the former is now organist of H. Blower, Esq. W. F. Parker, Esq. Sir F. Bridge, Mus. Doc. Sir W. Parratt, Mus. Doc. Rochester Cathedral; the latter (died I 893) A. Burnett, Esq. E. Prout, Esq., Mus. Doc. was organist of St. Saviour's Church, York, F. Cliffe, Esq. A. Randegger, Esq. F. Corder, Esq. F. J. Read, Esq., Mus. Doc. and, like his eminent brother, was a very fine F. W. Davenport, Esq. H R. Rose, Esq. extenlpore player. The other branch of the J. St. O. Dykes, Esq. E. Sauret, Esq. H. R. Eyers, Esq. H. F. Sharpe, Esq. family deserves further mention. In addition E. Faning, Esq., Mus. Bac. A. Somervell, Esq. H. Gadsby, Esq. C. V. Stanford, Esq., Mus. Doc. to being the first clarinettist of his day, Edward A. Gibson, Esq. F. Taylor, Esq. Hopkins (Dr. E. J. Hopkins's uncle) was a F. E. Gladstone, Esq., Mus.D. J. Thomas, Esq. R. Gompertz, Esq. W. H. Thomas, Esq. bandmaster, and was at the head of the band of W. B. Haynes, Esq. A. Visetti, Esq. W. S. Hoyte, Esq. F. Walker, Esq. the Scots Guards in I815. His son, Edwarcl, H. Inwards, Esq. H. Wessely, Esq. became a Vicar Choral of Armagh Cathedral; F. King, Esq. F. Westlake, Esq. T. B. Knott, Esq. W. E. Whitehouse, Esq. another son, John Larkin (died I873), was C. H. Lloyd, Esq., Mus. Doc. C. L. Williams, Esq., Mus. Bac. organist of Rochester Cathedral and afterwards Sir G. C. Martin, Mus. Doc. C. Wood, Esq., Mus. Doc. of Trinity College, Cambridge, and University LOCAL CENTRE EXAMINATIONS. organist; his daughter, Louisa, who was King's Last day for receiving applications, January 24, I898. See Syllabus A. Scholar at the Royal Academy of Music in I834, married one Richard Lloyd, and their LOCAL SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS. Applications and Fees for Registration of Schools and Teachers for son, Edward, has since been heard of as a I898 are due on December I, I897. famous tenor singer. Music, therefore, as the See Syllabus B. above record of eminence shows, was, and is, The Board has decided to offer for competition Two Exhibitions a very strong characteristic of the Hopkins every year, until further notice, one for the R.A.M. and one for the family. R.C.M., tenable for two years. Conditions and full particulars are contained in the Syllabus for I898 Master E. J. Hopkins, like Goss and Sullivan, Copiesof either Syllabus will be sent Post-free onapplication to the began his musical career as one of the children Central Office, 32, Maddox Street, London, W. of the Chapel Royal, St. James's. He entered SAMUEL AITKEN, Hon. Secretary. in 1826 when he was eight years old. The Master of the Children at that time was William With this Nxmber are presented gratis Extra Hawes, with whom his little charges lived at Supplements, consisting of a Part-Song, entitled Adelphi Terrace, Strand. Hawes was also " Songs of our Land," by Alicia Ade'laide Master of the St. Paul's choristers, and young Needham; and a Portrait of Dr. E. 3!. Hopkins, Hopkins, having a good voice and being an excellent reader, was made to do double duty specially taken for this paper by MY. Craik, of at the Chapel Royal and St. Paul's, though he Herne Bay. was not officially in the choir of the Cathedral. Master Hopkins's Sunday " putting on " (and off) of his " garments of praise " was as follows: THE MUSICAL TIMES He would appear at St. Paul's in his ordinary AND SINGING-CLASS CIRCULAR. attire at the 9.45 a.m. service. At a certain SEPTEMBER I, I897. part of the service he would retire, rush up to Adelphi Terrace and change into his gold and scarlet Charles II. court dress (change No. I) DR. EDRVARD JOHN HOPKINS. and hie oF to the Chapel Royal for the noon " COME and stay with me at the little pill- devotions. At 2.I5, under Mr. Hawes's box I have built here, and pebble the imaginary roof, he would partake of a frugal and hasty porpoises that are never seen on this coast." dinner, as he had to change his habilimgnts Such was the genial form of an invitation sent again (change No. 2) and get to St. Paul's by to us by "the father of English organistsX' 3. I 5 0 As in the morning, he would leave from his Herne Bay residence. No more before the service was finished and, hastening favourable opportunity could present itself for back to his domicile, would change again into his acquiring some information upon the long gorgeous raiment (change No. 3) and proceed to career of the Temple organist than during some St. James's forthe half-past Sve o'clock Evening pleasant walks and talks with him at the quiet Prayer. Back to Adelphi Terrace for the Enal Kentish watering-place, where for two lovely change of his garb (change No. 4) might August days we had the pleasure of being his naturally be thought sufficient in the way of guest. Sabbath achievements for a boy of tender years, Edward John Hopkins was born at West- especially when his " lightning changes," -his minster, June 30, I8I8. He comes of a musical scanty meals, and his pedestrian necessities are This content downloaded from 76.190.40.17 on Fri, 16 Nov 2018 20:37:41 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms 586 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-SEPTEMBER I, 1897. taken into account. But Master Hopkins and thus, by close observation, practical was, and, as a boy of older growth, still is, an experience, and having to make his own way enthusiast, and before going home to West- in the worldX young Hopkins, like many others minster to spend the night he would call in at before and after him, laid a good, solid founda- St. Martin's-in-the-Fields and play the outgoing tion of earnest, painstaking work, which, if voluntary for his master, Thomas Forbes pursued with steady perseverance and set Walmisley. Mr. Hawes was a type of school- purpose, is sure to bring its full reward. master now happily almost extinct. He used His Erst organ appointment was at Mitcham to get a boy's head under his arm, and, as Dr. Church, where, strangely enough, the late Hopkins says, "literally knock it into him." James Coward, formerlyorganist of the Crystal Many were the pranks the boys played. Mr. Palace, and the late. Sir Joseph Barnby both Hawes was very fond of a day's Sshing, began their careers as organists. Hopkins, -in but those occasions were dreaded by the his candidature for the post, again foLlnd a boys. If their master was successful they, on kind friend in Turle. A few days before the the following day, would have the smallest of competition Hopkins was in the Abbey organ- the catch for dinner; if otherwise, their loft, whenTurle said: "I want you to play the corporeal insufficiencies would give place to Psalms to-day, so that I can go downstairs to corpcyral excesses at the hands (or, in both hear the eSect." He did not return, and when cases, the rod) of Mr. Hawes. it came to ' Here endeth the Erst lesson," Thefirst Statefunction inwhich Dr. Hopkins Hopkins had to play the " MagniEcat." He took part was the coronation of William IV. enjoyed playing so much that he hoped Turle (September 8, I83I) in Westminster Abbey, would not return for the " Nunc dimittis." when he sarlg as a soprano in his official The Abbey organist did not re-appear, even capacity as a Chapel Royal boy. The last for the anthem, therefore the ex-chorister, to was the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, his proud delight, finished the service entirely when the veteran ex-chorister lustily sang his by himself. When he came down from the tenor part on the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral, organ he saw that Turle was speaking to a the two events being separated by a period of gentleman who, he afterwards discovered, was sixty-six years. At the coronation service the one of the most influential of the Mitcham choir attended at Westminster Abbey at seven committee of selection. Hopkins was then a o'clock in the morning for a rehearsal. The youth of sixteen in a light blue jacket-suit with sandwiches which the boys took for their lunch gilt buttons.