GLEES AND GLEE MAKERS

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 231, 30 September 1929, Page 6

GLEES AND GLEE MAKERS

The minds of many concert-goers in Auckland . must have been turned during the past week to 1 that band of 18th century composers who laid 5 the foundations of tho English glee. One of the l first we encounter is a musician, Joseph Baildon, \ whose claim to celebrity arose through his being ; the 1763 Catch Club prize winner with his glee f "When Gay Bacchus Fills My Breast." 3 The name of Jonathan Battishill is familiar to many choral singers, his glee for three voices "Underneath This Myrtle Shade" whining the Noblemen's Catch Club gold medal. This musician was i harpsichordist at Covent Garden Opera House, , during which period he married a Miss Davies, ; one of the performers. He lost his wife in 1775, . and, according to a century-old tome in my . possession, "from this period he dissipated much of his time in convivial parties, and so far gave ! way to excess as gradually to undermine his cont stitution." This decline occupied a little over twenty-six years! During this period I wonder how many times he joined in Joseph Baildon's prize glee "When Gay Bacchus Fills My Breast"? Another very famous glee composer is Dr. William Crotch, who, like Mozart, was an instance of precocious juvenile talent fully developed in after life. This great musician in his earliest , infancy displayed such singular musical disposi- : tion that lie attracted the notice of Dr. Burney, : whose account of him, before he was four years ' of age (published in the "Philosophical Transactions" for 1779), excited the attention of the philosophical as well as the musical world. When' about two years old Crotch heard the tune of "God Save the King" played on his father's orgau, and, unlike Charles Lamb,, he evidently could distinguish between "Pop Goes the King" and "God Save tho Weasel"! The iniant became so restless and unruly that his mother, imagining he wanted to get at the organ, placed him at the keys, which ho immediately began to strike, and, after a little while, made an evident attempt towards the air. Before ho rose he made himself master of the first part. Next day, with his brother's assistance, he played the treble of the second part, and on the third learned to play the bass. Before he was four years of age the accuracy of his ear was such that he was able not only to name any note that was struck but to tell in what key it was played; and he was also able, with perfect facility, to transpose the tunes which he himself played into any key, even the most remote. As he grew older his musical attainments rapidly increased, because at eleven he did duty as organist at several of the chapels at Cambridge University. John Davy, the Devonshire glee writer, is yet another instance of musical genius being evidenced in early years. Among the many stories about him,' certified as true by the reverend Mr: Eastcott, his biographer, is the following: Before he was quite six years old a neighbouring blacksmith, into whose house he used frequently to run, lost between twenty and thirty horse shoes. Diligent search was made for them for many days, but to no purpose; not long afterwards the smith heard some musical sounds, which seemed to come from the upper part of his house, and, having listened for a sufficient time to be convinced that his cars did not deceive him, he went upstairs and discovered little Davy witli his property between the ceiling and the thatched roof. The boy had selected eight horse shoes out of the whole number to form an octave, had suspended each of them by a single cord clear of the wall, and with a small iron rod was amusing himself by imitating tho Crediton chimes, which he did with great exactness. This story being made public, and his genius for music daily increasing, he could- in a short time play any easy lesson on a harpsichord to which a neighbouring clergyman had introduced him. Dr. John Wall Cailcott sent in, as a candidate for prizes, in 178(J, nearly a hundred I compositions to the Catch Club, a proceeding which produced the natural consequence of a resolution by the club limiting the number of entries from any one candidate to a dozen. He was offended at this rule and declined for a time to write for the club, but later, changing his mind, ho sent in twelve pieces and gained all the prizes for the year. Ho assisted in founding the Glee Club in 1737. He died insane iii IS2I while at work on a musical dictionary. Thus wo see that the eighteenth century, ; during which the glee was born, is noteworthy for the large number of able English composers who wrote music "understanded of the people." English glees never lose their freshness, and their appeal, let us hope, will never fail to stir English hearts. That we have given up sinking glees in our homes, clubs and social gatherings Is a sign of musical retrogression, and a confession of weakness that does not augur well for our musical future. Music, to live, must be learned and practised, not merely listened to, and anything that will bring back the glee club and the family sing-song should be encouraged by musicians and that vague body of people usually described as "music lovers." —KARL ATKINSON.'