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Irish Church Composers and the Irish Cathedrals
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 January 2020
Extract
I closed the first portion of this paper, as you may doubtless remember, with a sketch of the life of Sir John Stevenson. I now beg to present to your notice a few details about one of his most distinguished contemporaries in the Dublin choirs. In 1795 the capitular authorities heard of a fine tenor at Lichfield, and, as the result of their negotiations, John Spray was induced, by the ample salary offered, to make the Irish metropolis his home. Spray was a native of Southwell, and he became a chorister in the Minster there under Thomas Spofforth, the organist, uncle of Reginald, the famous glee-writer, and of Samuel, who afterwards (1807–1864) held the appointment of organist of Lichfield Cathedral.
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- Copyright © Royal Musical Association, 1899
References
∗ It will possibly be remarked how few native Irishmen held offices in the Cathedral choirs. In 1765 another Englishman, Edward Higgins, had been brought over from Bristol, where he had been organist since 1759. He obtained vicarages at Christ Church and S. Patrick's. One of his double chants—that in F—is familiar in our choirs.Google Scholar
† For this information I am indebted to the Rev. Canon Maddison. Succentor of Lincoln Cathedral.Google Scholar
∗ “Music and Friends,” Vol. I., p. 315 (Longmans, 1835).Google Scholar
† In the same manner, Purcell wrote his anthem, “They that go down to the sea in ships,” for “that stupendous bass, Gostling,” as Evelyn the diarist calls him. Croft and Weldon composed anthems expressly for Elford, a famous alto; while several of those of Boyce and Battishill were intended for Champness and Bellamy, two very high basses.Google Scholar
‡ This air was harmonised as a glee for four voices by Ralph Banks, organist of Rochester Cathedral, 1790–1841.Google Scholar
∗ Some account of Spray's prowess in the noble ait of self-defence will be found in The Dublin University Magazine for April, 1851.Google Scholar
† The Rev. Robert Whiston died at the old Bishop's Palace, Rochester, August 3, 1895, full of years and honour.Google Scholar
∗ Several equally clever articles appeared about the same time in Hausehold Words bearing on kindred topics, such as “S. Vorax's Singing Birds,” “The Dean of S. Vitus,” “Three and Sixpence,” and “Wanted, an Organist.” Evidently they were written by the same hand.Google Scholar
∗ Transcribed by the Rev. John Hanson Sperling, M.A., who, from 1849 to 1856, was curate of S. Mary Abbots, Kensington, and subsequently, until 1871, rector and vicar of Westbourne, Sussex. Late in life he joined the Roman Communion. He was an able ecclesiologist and the author of an interesting little book, “Church Walks in Middlesex” (1849). For Sir Frederick Ouseley, in 1853, he wrote short memoirs of the composers represented in his volume, “Cathedral Services by English Masters.” The Sperling MSS. at Tenbury, contained in some half-a-dozen thick quarto volumes, consist of a number of rare services and anthems, copied from various Cathedral libraries, particularly that of Ely. They are in score, with a separate organ part, and evidently “passed for press.”Google Scholar
† Francis Robinson, Mus.D., vicar choral of Christ Church, 1833–1872.Google Scholar
‡ The sexton's boy.Google Scholar
∗ One of De-la-Maine's tunes—“S. Catherine “—has been retained in the “Irish Church Hymnal.” Two double chants of his will be found in the large collection edited by the late Mr. B. St. J. B. Joule.Google Scholar
† One of the chants is a double by Sir John Stevenson, in the key of G. It is based on the theme of the Andante of Haydn's Symphony in D (No. 7 of the Salomon set).Google Scholar
∗ In some English collections this chant is erroneously assigned to John Stafford Smith.Google Scholar
† In a fulsome dedication, prefixed to a volume of Words of Anthems printed for the Irish Cathedrals in 1821, this monarch is described as “the Patron of every Measure which tends to serve the cause of Godliness” !Google Scholar
‡ I decline all responsibility for the bad grammar in this title. Smith's blunder has been repeated by several other composers.—J. S. BGoogle Scholar
∗ A nickname given to Dr. Phil (Philip) Hayes. Professor of Music at Oxford, 1777–1797. On his journeys from Oxford to London be occupied the entire seat of a post chaise, and in the stage coach two places were invariably secured for him. He was one of the largest men in England, being nearly equal in weight to Bright, the heavy miller of Malden, in Essex.Google Scholar
∗ Charles C P. Greville, a sensible man of liberal views, in his entertaining “Memoirs”—a journal of the reigns of George IV., William IV., and Victoria—thus records a visit he paid to Dublin in August, 1859. “Passed the day In Dublin yesterday (August 21); twice at church, in the morning at Christ Church, afternoon S. Patrick's, attracted by the celebrity of the choir and the performance of the Cathedral service, which was finely done, though the best voices (three brothers Robinson) were absent.”Google Scholar
∗ Professor Stanford in The Cornhill, December, 1898.Google Scholar
∗ This book was first published under the sanction of Bishop Blomfield in 1836. The volume of accompanying tunes, arranged by W. Hawes, was the subject of a most slashing review in The Musical World of August, 1837, written in all probability by H. J. Gauntlett, the then editor. Mr. Hall was a minor canon of S. Paul's from 1825 until his death in 1861. He was also one of the Priests in Ordinary of the Chapel Royal, and successively Rector of S Benet with S. Peter, Paul's Wharf, and Vicar of Tottenham.Google Scholar
∗ Robert Janes succeeded Highmore Skeats, junior, as organist of Ely Cathedral in 1830. He died in 1866.Google Scholar
† He was appointed to that office by the Vicar, Dr. Hook. “I have secured a man named Hill and his nephew from Westminster Abbey,” wrote Dr. Hook in February, 1841. “I am to pay them £120 a year. How I shall raise the money, I know not; but this I know, a good choir must be formed, if I go to prison for it.” (Life of Dean Hook, by the present Dean of Winchester, ii., 124.)Google Scholar
∗ How welcome these would be in processions at S. Paul's, in place of the hymns which are commonly in use there.Google Scholar
∗ Among other titled musical amateurs may be mentioned, Willoughby (Bertie), fourth Earl of Abingdon (1740–1799); George, Marquis of Blandford, fourth Duke of Marlborough (1738–1817); Lord Mount-Edgecumbe (1764–1839); Sir John Leman Rogers, Bart. (1780–1847); Lord Burghersh, afterwards Earl of Westmoreland (1784–1859); Hon. William Ashley-Cooper (1803–1877), Master of S. Katherine's. Regent's Park; the Earl of Wilton (1799–1882), the Rev. Sir W. H. Cope, Bart. (1812–1890), sometime Minor Canon and Librarian of S. Peter's, Westminster, and the present Earl of Mar. Lord Mornington and the Rev. Sir F. A. Gore Ouseley we always regard as professional musicians.Google Scholar
† Mr. Vignoles' “Memoir of Sir Robert Stewart” was published in October, 1898.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
∗ Just four years later the Irish Church was deprived of another of her most distinguished composers by the premature death, at the age of forty, of Mr. George Frederick Horan. He held organistships at several of the Dublin churches at various times, and frequently deputised for his father, Mr. John Horan, the present organist at Christ Church Cathedral. Among his secular compositions were many songs of a high order of merit.Google Scholar
∗ This anthem was composed in 1864. In 1891 Sir Robert scored it orchestrally for one of the concerts of the Dublin Musical Society, adding, at the name time, a long prelude. The anthem is in regular use at S. Paul's, but the fine Service in E flat seems to be quite unknown there.Google Scholar
∗ Canon Seymour resigned his stall in 1883.Google Scholar
† A more facetious than reverent soubriquet bestowed, at that time, on the Sunday afternoon service at S. Patrick's.Google Scholar
∗ Carpenter was born in 1812 and died in 1855. Like Street, Pearson, Woodyer, Scott, and Butterfield, he was a churchman first and an architect afterwards. As a singular and pathetic incident relative to the last-named, I may mention that on the very day of his death, February 23 last, I penned this foot-note in the railway carriage, while journeying to S. Michael's College, Tenbury, one of the noblest conceptions of his distinguished pupil, Henry Woodyer.Google Scholar
∗ By Barff, of Dublin, a Cambridge “vert.”Google Scholar
∗ I allude to his anthem “It came even to pass,” and his Service in C for doable choir, sung at Lichfield and Hereford respectively with magnificent effect.Google Scholar
∗ It is bat fair to state that, at this period, the daily services at Armagh were admirably performed.Google Scholar
∗ Dr. Todd was one of the founders of that interesting College, S. Columba's—the first school established in Ireland on strictly Church lines. Started in 1843 at Stackallan, a fine old country mansion near Navan in the Boyne district, it was, in 1849, removed to Rathfarnham, near Dublin. Its chapel is a beautiful conception of Butterfield's. The school has done much towards disseminating a taste for sound Church music in Ireland. S. Michael's College, Tenbury, was founded by Sir Frederick Ouseley on somewhat similar lines. Several of the organists of S. Columba's have risen to great eminence in the profession, notably, Dr. E. G. Monk, Dr. G. B. Arnold, Mr. J. Baptiste Calkin, Mr. H. S. Irons, Mr. Frederick Cambridge, Mus.B., Mr. C. Lee Williams, and Mr. Donald W. Lott. The Rev. R. Corbet Singleton was the first Warden, and, I may add, a munificent benefactor. In 1847 Mr. Singleton, together with the celebrated Dr. Sewell, Dr. E. G. Monk, and the Rev. Nugent Wade, helped to found S. Peter's College, Radley, near Oxford. Mr. Singleton was appointed the first Warden of Radley, one of his earliest gifts to the College being a magnificent organ by Telford, of Dublin, costing £1,000. “This,” wrote Mr. Singleton, in October, 1847, “is of great consequence, in order that the boys may carry home word at Christmas that their College has one of the finest organs in England.” The organ was sent from Dublin by sea to Bristol, and thence by rail to Abingdon. It arrived in eighty-four packages, weighing twelve tons and containing 2,833 pipes. In 1868 this instrument was rebuilt by Walker, and in 1896 by Martin, of Oxford. Mr. Singleton, who collaborated with Dr. E. G. Monk in editing, in 1871, “The Anglican Hymn Book,” was himself a composer and a great musical enthusiast, but not altogether a success as an educationalist. A warm-hearted, impulsive Irishman, and a man of very deep and sincere religious feeling, he claimed much respect. He died at York in February, 1881. Much of interest concerning him may be read in Sewell's “Journal of a Residence at the College of S. Columba” (1848), and in the Rev. T. D. Raikes' “Fifty Years of S. Peter's College, Radley” (1897.)Google Scholar
∗ Those interested in the architecture and constitution of the Irish Cathedrals are recommended to consult a series of most masterly papers on the subject, contributed by the Rev. John Jebb, D.D., to The Eccls-siologist, between 1866 and 1868. The account of Cashel Cathedral, recently restored, is especially interesting.Google Scholar
∗ At Salisbury the Succentor is one of the Dignitaries. At York there is a Succentor Canonicoram and a Succentor Vicariorum.Google Scholar
† Massingham. “Life of S. Laurence O'Toole.”Google Scholar
∗ The organ built in Christ Church by Renatus Harris in 1697 was celebrated as being a portion of the instrument discarded in the famous contest at the Temple Church. Harris's organ occupied a position on the North side of the choir—one held by the organs at Westminster, Canterbury, Lincoln, and S. David's during the early part of the eighteenth century, and at S. Paul's before the Great Fire. In an evil hour, the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church were induct d to part with this organ for a very inferior instrument by Byfield—“a regular old saw-sharpener,' as Sir Robert Stewart used to call it. This was in 1752. Harris's organ is now at S. John's, Wolverhampton, and Byfield's at S. Nicholas's, Cork, 10 which church it was sold in 1856. The present organ of Christ Church is hardly worthy of the building in which it is placed. Henry Smart condemned it in his report in 1878. Harris also built the organ in S. Palrick's Erected upon the choir screen in 1697, it remained there, with additions by Gray, Bücher and Fleetwood, and Telford, until the restoration of 1861–5, when, the choice of an organ-builder being left to Sir Benjamin Guinness, Bevington was chosen. Bevington's organ, which included only three stops of Harris's instrument, was packed away in the North choir aisle, instead of being placed in the triforium, according to Carpenter's design. Telford, I believe, prepared a design in which he proposed to include every pipe of Harris's work. In 1880 a new solo organ was added by Telford, and further improvements are now in contemplation.Google Scholar
∗ “Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. An Historical Sketch.” By the Rev. Edward Seymour, MA. Folio, 1882.Google Scholar
∗ As one of her living alumni, Christ Church may be justly proud of Dr. Torrance. The first issue of the “Irish Church Hymnal” appeared under his musical editorship in 1864. He contributed some admirable tunes to it. Dr. Torrance has published several anthems. His most recent work is an oratorio. “The Revelation” It contains many “noble numbers,” and it is to be hoped it may be accorded a hearing in London before long.Google Scholar