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Home , Lurline (opera), Maritana, The Desert Flower, William Vincent Wallace

. A Centenary Notice Author(s): W. H. Grattan Flood Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 53, No. 833 (Jul. 1, 1912), pp. 448-449 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/906891 Accessed: 27-01-2016 00:42 UTC

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This content downloaded from 192.236.36.29 on Wed, 27 Jan 2016 00:42:50 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 448 THE MUSICAIL TIMES.-JuLY I, I912.

Many a jaded musician will doubtless support our WILLIAM VINCENT WALLACE. view that no summer can be considered ideal holiday A CENTENARY NOTICE. unless it afforda complete escape from 'the jarring concord of sounds.' Yet many there are who seek for BY W. H. GRATTAN FLOOD. a musical holiday. Hitherto they have turned their eyes to Bayreuth or, more lately, Munich; or more Although the centenary of the birth of William modest purses have opened to suggestions of Vincent Wallace has not received due attention, it is Bournemouth. now offerstwo further England tempta- appropriate to furnishsome new facts concerning the tions for the foregatheringof music-lovers. Those biography of the composer of ',' and to whom the folk-music of their native land attracts arouse fresh interest in the personality of a of and Dance at really can attend the School Folk-Song remarkable Irish composer. to be held in connection with the Stratford-on-Avon, Most of the memoirs of Wallace give wrong dates Shakespeare summer celebrations from August 3 to for his birth,but while some give June I, 1814, others If wish to be of the lectures August 31. they informed give March, and July I, 1813. The true date is on the and lore of and I815, theory,history, English song March II, and this is given in the present in I812, dance, and of the classes singing-games, Morris, writer's ' History of Irish Music' (1905). To settle country-,and sword-dances that have been arranged, the matter, here is the extract from the they should write to Miss Rainbow, Box Office, Register :-' William, the son of William and Stratford-on-Avon. If they fall to this temptation Elizabeth Wallace, was born March IIth, I812. they will return,judging from the experience of their Registered, March I5th, I812, by me, Richard J. predecessors of last summer, with new sympathies Hobson, Curate.' awakened and many of their muscles developed. Thus, on March I I, 1812,William Wallace firstsaw the light in the city of Waterford,in a house at the of Lady Lane and Colbeck Street, memorable The other temptation is to those who favour corner also as being self-same house in which Charles critical, and historical discussion, and is the esthetical, Kean, the great actor, had been born a year previously. offered by the Home Music Study Union. This the His father was an Irshman, a native of Ballina, co. up-to-date organization, which owes much to a Scotchman, as generally his of Mr. Percy Scholes, offers Mayo--not stated--and energy a musicians' mother a lady of varied accomplish- holiday at Bideford, North Devon, fromAugust Io to was Waterford ments. In June of the same year, Mr. and Mrs. August 24. It has taken complete possession for Wallace returned to Ballina (where a second son, the fortnight of Edgehill College, 'a fine modern Wellington, was born), and in that village building at a breezy elevation, with lovely grounds, remained for twelve years. His father,being a good musician, tennis courts, &c.,' and invites musicians to come and taught the future composer all that he knew stay there for per week. They will have the ofi 35s. instrumental music. From the Army records I find advantage of congenial company, fine scenery,and the that Wallace pare joined the Regiment in opportunity of hearing lectures on the most widely 29th I822, was promoted sergeant on August 27, and in diverse topics delivered by Mrs. Kennedy Fraser, Is823, 1825 proceeded with it to \Vaterford, remaining Mr. G. C. Ashtcn Jonson, Mr. Albert Visetti, there from October, to 1826, when he M. M.-D. Calvocoressi (the esteemed contributor 182a, April, purchased his discharge for (April to our columns), Mr. Stewart Macpherson, and Mr. ?20 14, I826). Young Wallace found an excellent patron in Sir Scholes. A point is made of the atmosphere of John Buchan, Colonel of the 29th Regiment, and his that is aimed at. A similar project has camaraderie clarinet playing was much admired. As the regiment been carried out before with excellent results,and we was ordered to the Mauritius, Mrs. Wallace would not cordially wish the promotersa still greater success in and the this consent to go, hence she provided purchase- theirpresent venture. Those who fallto temptation money for the discharge f her husband, who was should write to the General Secretary of the Home bandmaster as aplswell sergeant. While in Waterford Music Study Union, Mr. J. E. Lawrence, 52, Francis received lessons fromOtho Hamilton Street, Leeds, as soon as possible. Master Wallace and John Ringwood (organist of the Cathedral), as well as from his father. The Wallace familyin the winterof 1826 removed to , and the fatherwas We regret to hear that the season's work of the in Brighton Sacred Harmonic Society has resulted in a at once given the post ofbassoon-player the Adelphi heavy loss. The cause of the diminished attendances Theatre orchestra. Not long afterwards the two is the rivalry of the Municipal Concerts, which are sons were engaged at the Theatre Royal: William supported out of the rates and can thereforebe given as second violin and Wellington as second , the at cheap prices. No blame, however, attaches to the then conductor being James Barton. Municipal authorities on account of their zeal on In 1827 Wallace was regarded not only as a skilful behalf of music. performeron the violin and clarinet, but also as a good organist, and he took lessons on the pianoforte A sale of valuable musical instrumentstook place at from W. S. Conran and Logier, and organ lessons Puttick & Simpson's on June 14. A Gagliano from Haydn Corri, thenorganist of the pro-Cathedral, Marlborough Street, Dublin, also studying orchestra- violoncello went for ?360, a 'Strad' violin for /J400, tion with Phelps MacDonald. and a silver-mounted violoncello bow, by Francois Tourte, for Altogether the bow and twelve At Christmas, 1829, the post of organist of stringed instruments,?I75. were sold for ?3,896. Think of Roman Catholic Cathedral was vacant, and Wallace the concerts of British music that could be financed was asked to make an application forit, doubtless on by this sum ! the recommendation of Haydn Corri. J. W. Glover was about to apply for the position, but learning that Wallace was already in the field he did not care to In our report last month of the visit of the Leeds appear as a rival, as he himself told me in 1877. Choir to Paris, it should have been stated that the Consequently in January, I830, Wallace took up his work of preparing the chorus had been carried out by residence in Thurles, and was also appointed professor Mr. H. A. Fricker, who also officiatedas organist at of music at the Ursuline Convent of that town, he the performances. being then in his eighteenth year.

This content downloaded from 192.236.36.29 on Wed, 27 Jan 2016 00:42:50 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-JuLY I, 1912. 449

While in Thurles-from January, 183o to August, Newport in July, I850, and became infatuated with I83I--Wallace was the spoiled child of the community. the pianist, Helkne Stoepel, whom he married three In particular, the Ursuline Nuns were very kind to months later. Returning to in 1853, he him, and by way of return he composed a Mass and settled down as a fashionable teacher of the - some Motets for them. He also composed an forte,for which instrumenthe composed an enormous 'O Salutaris,' which he subsequently utilised for the quantity of music. In the same year his portrait in melody of 'Hear me, gentle Maritana.' Among the water-colour was painted by J. Hanshew, almost full boarders was a charming Dublin girl, Miss Isabella length, seated in a garden-chair, holding a book in Kelly, of Frascati, Blackrock, and as she was one of his right hand and a pear in his left. This portrait- his firstpupils he fell in love with her. At the time, rather a flamboyant production-was purchased for Miss Kelly's eldest sister was a nun in the same the National Gallery of Ireland in 190o3. convent, and she exerted her influence to prevent any No need to dwell on the successes of his of entanglement, all the more as Wallace was a '' (February 23, I860)-the performingrights Protestant. In the autumn of 1830 the young of which he assigned to Pyne & Harrison for ten composer beame a Catholic, and took the additional shillings !-and his 'Amber Witch' (February 28,1861). name Vincent in compliment to Sister Vincent, the His 'Love's Triumph '-of which the full score in sister of Miss Isabella Kelly, thus assuming the name his own autograph is now in the British Museum- of William Vincent Wallace, which he ever afterwards was given at Covent Garden on November 3, I862, bore. but failed for lack of adequate representation. This The fame of Paganini, and the furorecreated by his was followed by ',' produced by engagement at the Dublin Musical Festival of I831, the Pyne & Harrison Company, on October I2, 1863, so preyed on the mind of Wallace that he accepted but though the music was melodious the did not the offer of sub-leader of the Dublin Theatre Royal attract public notice. orchestra, and left Thurles. His marriage with Miss Early in 1864 Wallace wrote the greater part of an Kelly was duly solemnised, and the young couple opera entitled 'Estrella,' but towards the end ofthe year settled down at No. I I, South William Street, Dublin. his health broke down, and in the spring of 1865 he set In September, 1831, the Paganini concerts, and the out for Paris, with a view of staying for a time in the intercourse with Ries, Sir George Smart, Mori, and Pyrenees. He took a cottage at Passy, in the suburbs others, gave a stimulus to Wallace for furthermusical of Paris, and enjoyed the company of Rossini almost study, and he sat up many nights practising the daily. On the advice of his physician, Dr. Bouillot, he violin and essaying various forms of composition. removed to a chAteau in the Ddpartement of Hautes- His violin-playing had already elicited the highest Pyrindes. All his biographers, followingthe French praise from Signor Spagnoletti (in 1829), and he journals, give the name of the chAteau as ' Chateau de became leader for George Stansbury (conductor of the Bagen,' where, lovingly attended by his wife,he died Theatre Royal orchesta) in November, 1833. One of on October 12, 1865 ; but my friend,Monsieur Brenet, his first appearances as a serious composer was in tells me that there is no such chAteau to be found. May, 1834, when he played a Violin concerto of his own. 'There is, however,' writes M. Brenet, 'a Chateau de Wallace wearied of the Dublin musical life in 1835, Haget, in the Conmmuneof Vieuzos, Canton d'Aries, and in August of that year, accompanied by his wife D6partement of Hautes-Pyrindes,' and probably this and her sister, he set sail for , New South is the one in question, 'Bagen' being an error for Wales. It is said that on the long voyage out to 'Haget.' he paid more attention to his wife's sister Although Wallace died in France, his remains than to his lawful spouse, and on landing at Sydney he were brought to England, and he was interred parted fromhis wife,whom he never saw again. He in on October 23, I865. then retired, 'far from the madding crowd,' into the His widow survived till July 25, 1900oo,and his son bush, and took to sheep-raising; but in the autumn of Vincent died a poor brother of the Charterhouse, 1836, having visited Sydney, he was induced to play on December 3I, 1909. the violin at a private house, with the result that Sir It is here sufficientto add that Wallace's 'Maritana' John Burke,the Irish Governor of theColony,prevailed and 'Lurline' will live by reason of sheer melody, on him to give a public concert. The Governor, to although Dr. Walker would have us believe that both express his appreciation, paid an admission fee of one of these operas'advance a good many steps on the hundred sheep. road to sheer vulgarity,though of a good-natured and Wallace's adventures from I836 to I840 read like unpretendingorder.' However this may be, 'Maritana' romance, and the interestedreader will findan account is still a trump card with provincial opera companies, of them in the pages of Berlioz and in Pougin's 'Life' and shows no diminution of popularity afterclose on (1866). In the years 1840-4I he was a member of the seventy years. New York Philharmonic Society, and forthe season of 1841-42 he was conductor of the Italian Opera in ON LISTENING TO MUSIC. Mexico, also producing a Grand Mass there. Between the creative musician and that portion of Returning to London in the spring of the year 1845, the public on whose appreciation he depends for he made his ddbfitat the Hanover Square Rooms on support there has always been a certain amount of May 3. Then followed his opera of 'Maritana' at conflict. The composer's point of view is that he can Drury Lane (November I5, I845), and on only give out his best work by following the dictates February 6, 1846, he had a benefit at Covent Garden of his own feelings,that of the public that it wants -being the fiftiethnight of 'Maritana.' what it likes and is not prepared to pay for anything His ' Matilda of Hungary' was given at Drury Lane else. And at present the two are not co-related; for on February 22, IS47, and he then went to , in that the composer's business is simply to compose, where he wrote a Violin concerto, subsequently whereas the public has a hundred other parts to play receiving a diamond ring from the King of Belgium. besides that of listener to his music, it follows that his He returned to London late in January, 1848, and musical culture develops at a much greater pace, and he played at Blewitt's benefit concert on May I9 of music which to him yields its beauty perfectlyreadily that year. is often unintelligibleto his audience. The spirit of adventure again seized on Wallace, and It would seem that it is impossible entirely to he went to South America in 1849, subsequently going remedy this, but on the other hand the difference to New York. He gave a successful concert at might very well be less than it is.

This content downloaded from 192.236.36.29 on Wed, 27 Jan 2016 00:42:50 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions