The Musicians of Charles II Author(s): C. Edgar Thomas Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 60, No. 920 (Oct. 1, 1919), pp. 539-542 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3701764 Accessed: 10-11-2015 04:52 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 137.189.170.231 on Tue, 10 Nov 2015 04:52:05 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-OCTOBER I, 1919. 539 'Lamia' was begun two years ago, and the score THE MUSICIANS OF CHARLES II. was in over twelve months. completed something By C. EDGAR THOMAS. While the composer was busy on this work she foundtime to writea numberof pianoforte studies and Regarding the musical tastes of the 'Merry smallercompositions of otherkinds. Miss Howell's Monarch' thereappears to be some slightdiversity outputincludes also songs,chamber music, the first act of opinion. The generalimpression seems to be that of an Operabased on 'The Winter'sTale,' and smaller Charles did not concernhimself much with the older pieces fororchestra. She is at presentengaged on the and more solid kind of music representedby the compositionof a Ballet dealingwith the legend of the compositionsof such men as Gibbons, Byrd, and WillowPattern Plate. Arrangementsare now being Tallis, and that he was impatientof anythingbut made for the performanceof 'Lamia' in the chief the lightertypes of composition,a frameof mind for provincialmusical centres,including the composer's which his lengthyexile in France was no doubt in native city. large measure due. Be this as it may,there is no as we that the music of London doubt that the King displayeda great interestin the Believing, do, music and musiciansof his and shouldbe decentralisedas faras possible,we are glad age, particularlyin to hear of theformation of the Hammersmith connectionwith the Chapel Royal. With the idea of Sunday his in theFrench Charles Concert Society. The Society will give a series of encouraging choirboys style, concertsat the Hammer- sent one of theforemost of them-Pelham Humphrey subscription LyricTheatre, -to smith,on Sunday evenings at 8.30, beginningon study in Paris, while it was from the Chapel Royal of the Restorationthat the majorityof the best October5. The programmesare of first-ratequality, came. the followingworks being among those down for composers Pelham Humphrey-or Humfrey-was born in performance:John Ireland's Trio No. 2, Bantock's at one Old Ravel's Trio in A 1647,and the Restorationbecame of the first English Suite, minor,Herbert set of Childrenin the Howell's Comedy Suite for clarinetand pianoforte, Chapel Royal under 'Captain' Henry Cooke. The latter,it may here be added, Haydn's SymphonyNo. 13, Bach's C minorConcerto had seen serviceunder the standardof the ill-fated fortwo pianofortes and strings,&c., withvocal items the of interest. The include the Phil- CharlesI., havinggained a commissionin Royalist equal performers Army,from which service he was afterwardsknown as harmonicString Quartet,the Lyric Hammersmith was Miss Rhoda Miss 'Captain.' In i66o he appointed one of the StringQuartet, Backhouse, Gladys Gentlemenof the and master Moger, Messrs. John Ireland, Felix Salmond, Clive Chapel Royal of the and otherwell-known soloists. The Children,and fouryears later 'Composerof the king's Carey, enterpriseprivate music for at a of annum. is underthe direction of Mr. ArthurBliss, 21, Holland voices,' salary ?40 per He died in 1672, a last in Park, W. finding resting-place the I I. Abbey, and the old chroniclerAnthony Wood says The Chesteiian made its appearance as a musical thathis death was in great partcaused by chagrinat journalon SeptemberI5. The aims of thenewcomer finding himself surpassed in favourby Humfrey,who, are wellset forthin an editorial,entitled, 'Aut frigidusas before stated, had been his pupil. Humfrey aut calidus'-not the journal's only example of an succeeded him-he had previouslystudied in Italy unusual caption,for Mr. George Moore heads some as well as France--buthe enjoyed his preferment interestingreminiscences, 'The nineness in the onlytwo years, for in 1674,at the earlyage of twenty- oneness.' Mr. ErnestNewman contributes a London seven years, he died,and like his tutorCooke, was Letter, Mr. CyrilScott writeson Eugene Goossens, buriedin the Cloistersof WestminsterAbbey. and Mr. Granville Bantock genially blesses the Anotherdistinguished musician of the early days enterprise.The Chesterianpromises to be a lively of the Restoration,and also among the firstset of additionto themusical Press. boys in the Chapel Royal of CharlesII., was Dr. John Blow. A pupilof 'Captain' Cooke,he early evinced Mr. JosefHolbrooke's fiveconcerts announced to talentfor composition, being one ofthe three concerned take place at Marble Arch House have been in the productionof the 'Club Anthem,'written, so it cancelled, owing to the premisesbeing unavailable is reputed,to celebratea naval overthe Dutch the of the lease. Mr. victory through falling-in Holbrooke in I665. Blow afterwardsbecame the pupilof John has arrangedto give two concerts at the Portman and Dr. and Roomsinstead. We have no informationas to Hingeston ChristopherGibbons, in 1669 date.- was appointedorganist of WestminsterAbbey, a post whichhe held untili68o, whenhe generouslyresigned BRASS BAND ARRANGEMENTS OF in favourof a pupil of his, Henry Purcell, then ELGAR'S SYMPHONIES. but a lad of twenty-two summers. After the latter's early death in I695, Blow once more At firstsight a brass band seems theleast suitable became of the continuingthere until of mediumsfor such and subtle works as organist Abbey, complex his death. The fame of Purcell has been sung so Elgar's Symphonies. and in is It is often, general too well-knownto need interestingto hear that the Black Dyke Mills anythingmore than a casual mentionin this brief Band is givingthe best of proofsto the contrary.We learnthat the season theband has paper. during past fulfilled That delightfulold gossip Pepys the Diarist has about fortyengagements, and in every instancean writtenthis under featurehas been theenthusiastic concerning John Blow, date outstanding receptionAugust 2I, 1667: of the Elgar arrangement. The superb technique of such bands as the Black has been This morningcame two of CaptainCooke's boys, Dyke long whosevoices are broke,and are recognised,and criticismhas been mainlydirected to gonefrom the Chapel, theirchoice of music. That this fineband and its but have extraordinaryskill; and theyand myboy, of withhis brokenvoice, did sing threerarts; their thousands hearers are appreciativeof such works nameswere Blaew [Blow] and Loggings;but, notwith- as Elgar's Symphoniesis the happiestof omensfor standingtheir skill, yet to hearthem sing with their thefuture of popularmusical taste. We congratulate brokenvoices, which they could not command to keep the bandmaster(Mr. A. O. Pearce), his players,and, in time,would make a manmad--so bad it was. not least, his audiences, and cannot refrainfrom Some doubt exists,however, if Blow was actually expressingsome envy. We in Londonget all too few the boy referredto, especially when it is considered chancesof hearing the worksin theiroriginal form. thathe wouldthen have been nineteenyears of age. This content downloaded from 137.189.170.231 on Tue, 10 Nov 2015 04:52:05 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 540 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-OCTOBER I, I919. Among the pupils of Dr. Blow may be mentioned detail. Nominally for the year ending at Christmas, Jeremiah Clark, who eventually became organist of 1663, it yet includes payment for arrears-here and Winchester College in 1685 or thereabouts. Eight there covering the two preceding years-a fact that years later he became almoner and master of the brought the total to ,?2,880 8s. 6d. It says much for a children at St. Paul's Cathedral, in succession to his man like King Charles that he paid these arrears, and former master, Blow. Another famous pupil of would seem to suggest that the King cherished a real Dr. Blow's was William Croft(1677-1727), who after regard for music. It should be noted that of the total leaving the Chapel Royal-he had lost his treble sum just given, ?668 13s. 8jd. was paid in settlement voice-was appointed the firstorganist of St. Anne's, of the violinists; ? 162 17S. I Id. for the wind instru- Soho. In 17oo he and Jeremiah Clark became ments ; 4358 13s. iold. for the lutes; ?43 for the Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal, and joint organists virginals; and ?30 for the tuner. The trumpeters, there some four years later. however,were the heaviest item,amounting to ?1,590. The music for the Coronation of Charles 11. was Irrespective of these items, certain members of the composed by Henry Lawes, who had survived the royal band obtained varying sums fromtime to time, Interregnum,and died two years afterthe Restoration. for the purchase of new instruments,the repair of old Milton and Waller were ever fond of lauding the