Signor BEGREZ, and Signor AMBROGETTI, Messrs. HAMMOND, HORNCASTLE, HARRIS, WALKER, ODWELL, THE SIXTH GRAND CONCERTO, and MUSETTE . Handel. Mozart. Duet, Mrs.SALMON & MISS TRAVIS,&Chorus, "Time has not." Jackson. Song, Madame BELLOCHI," Di piacer mi balza il cor" Song, Mrs. SALMON, "My lodging," &c. with Variations. Rossini. Dr. Croft. • Cramer. Duetto, Madame BELLOCHI&Sig. BEGREZ, "Fiero incontro." Rossini. Selection from the Oratorio of "THE CREATION.”...... Haydn. ACT 2. ........ Overture, March, and Chorus (Messiah.) FRIDAY, the 30th of APRIL, 1813. ACT 1. .... ... Rossini. ... Handel. Overture and Chorus, "O come let us sing." "O come let us sing.". (Anthem).. Handel. Terzetto, Mrs. SALMON, Mr. VAUGHAN, and Mr. BELLAMY, "Che vi par." ... Song, Miss TRAVIS, "O Sleep!" accompanied on the organ Sarti Handel. by Mr. GREATOREX Canzonetta, Miss STEPHENS, " Vino vecchio," and Chorus Nauman. Aria, Signor AMBROGETTI, Capellini, Capelloni.". Concerto, Harp, Miss E. FONTAINE Echo Glee, "Daughter sweet of Voice and Air." Fioravanti. N. C. Bochsa. Song, Mrs. SALMON, "Gratias agimus ;" Clarinet obligato, Mr. WILLMAN Grand Chorus, "Great is Jehovah. Webbe. Guglielmi. GRAND OVERTURE Song, Mr. VAUGHAN, "In life's gay scenes." Glee, for Four Voices, "My laddie is gone far away." W. Knyzett. Song, Mrs. SALMON, "Guardami un poco." Recit. acc. Mr. W. KNYVETT, "Jehovah, Cantata, Miss STEPHENS, "From rosy bowers."........ Purcell. Duetto, Mrs. SALMON and Signor AMBROGETTI, "Crudel, perchè." Mozart. Song, Mr. BELLAMY, "Rejoice, O Judah." (Judas Maccabæus.) Grand Chorus, "Hallelujah! Amen." Handel. MR. GREATOREX. HAVING made an impartial record of the Concerts of ANTIENT MUSIC and THE VOCAL CONCERTS, over the performance of which the gentleman whose name stands at the top of this page has long presided, a memoir of his musical life should seem to arise out of their history. But far above this inducement stands the private worth and general celebrity of MR. GREATOREX. We are always most happy to acknowledge these conjoint claims in public characters. In no one are they more completely united. We profess only to give a musical Biography, and in so doing, we fulfil our original contract, by making musicians known to each other, their course of study, standing and acquirements. Rock, MR. THOMAS GREATOREX is a native of Derbyshire, and, we believe was born in the same parish as the late MR. HARRISON, with whom he was in habits of the strictest friendship and regard from very early life, till the hour of MR. H.'s early death. He came to London in the year 1772, and became a pupil of Dr. COOKE,* organist and master of the boys of Westminster Abbey, under whose excellent tuition the following eminent professors (as well as many others) were educated; viz. SIR WILLIAM PARSONS, MR. CROSDILL, MR. KNYVETT, MR. BARTLEMAN, MR. M. ROCK, MR. SPOFFORTH, &c. &c. In the years 1774, 1775, and 1776, MR. GREATOREX attended the oratorios, which the late LORD SANDWICH gave during Christmas, at Hinchingbrook, and there he derived the greatest advantage, not only from hearing HANDEL's' music executed with a precision and effect till then unknown, but also from the acquaintance and friendship of MR. BATES, who conducted those performances.-The science of MR. BATES is well known, and his exertions to bring forward the commemoration of HANDEL, at Westminster Abbey, will form a lasting monument of his devotion to the works of that pride of English musicians. *We have we find been led into an error with respect to MR. BartleMAN'S master and place of education.-Page 325, Vol 1. Mr. B. was, we are since informed, a pupil of DR. COOKE's. Perhaps no man can be said to have promoted the cause of music so essentially as this gentleman, certainly no amateur. His skill as a conductor, nurtured and confirmed by the longest and most universal experience, was consummated in the performances at the Abbey. The opportunity Mr. GREATOREX thus enjoyed of an intimate understanding of MR. BATES's theory and practice, could not fail to be beneficial to the highest possible degree in turning the taste and directing the enquiries and intelligence of the young musician. MR. G. has given the strongest proofs that the friendship of MR. BATES was not extended to him in vain. At the establishment of the Antient Concert in 1776, MR. GREATOREX assisted in the chorusses, and continued a performer there till he was advised to try a northern air for the re-establishment of his health, and he accepted the situation of organist of the cathedral of Carlisle, in 1780. Here, though the emoluments were small, the writer of this sketch has heard him say, he passed some of the happiest days of his life. He spent two evenings of each week in a select society, in which were included DR. PERCY, late Bishop of Dromore, (then Dean of Carlisle), DR. CHARLES LAW, late Bishop of Elphin, and MR. ARCHDEACON PALEY. The continual admission of MR. GREATOREX to bear a part in the conversations of such men, is a powerful testimony of his rank in intellect, In 1784 MR. GREATOREX resigned his situation at Carlisle, and went to Italy, where he studied vocal music, and received instructions in singing from SIGNOR SANTARELLI, (the most celebrated singing master of his time,) at Rome, for the space of two years. He also *This fact of MR. GREATOREX's having studied in Italy gives powerful corroboration to the belief we have long entertained, that an English school of singing may be established, in which may be united all the excellence and superiority in the formation of tone which the Italians undoubtedly possess, with the constituents of genuine English expression. In many of our essays we have remarked upon the national differences in this grand essential, and we have endeavoured to shew their effects. It is morally impossible that these differences should ever be melted away, or that the expression of Englishmen and Italians should be so modified as to amalgamate the mutual national predilections into one style. The supposition that such a mixture is practicable has ruined most of our native singers. We have heard some public and some private pupils of MR. GREATOREX's, and it appears to us that he has adopted the principle for which we contend with as near an approach to success as any other English master. Still we think more might be done with respect to the amelioration of tone; as we have remarked in our memoir of MISS TRAVIS, the scholar of Mr. G. now before the public. We however can but admit that the uniformnity made a considerable stay at Naples, Florence, and Venice; and visited, on his return, Bologna, Pisa, Leghorn, Padua, Verona, Vicenza, Mantua, Parma, Milan, and Genoa; entering Switzerland by Mount St. Gothard, and passing down the Rhone to Cologne ; from whence he returned to England through the Netherlands and Holland, at the end of the year 1788. He now established himself in London, and very soon had his time fully occupied as a teacher of singing. In the year 1793, on the resignation of MR. BATES as conductor of the Antient Concert, the noble directors did MR. GREATOREX the honour, without any application on his part, to appoint him to that distinguished situation, which he has now held for 27 years. In 1801 MR. GREATOREX, in conjunction with MR. HARRISON, MR. W. KNYVETT, and MR. BARTLEMAN, revived the Vocal Concert, which has continued to the present time, and he has very lately succeeded to the situation of his respected master, DR. COOKE, as organist and master of the boys at Westminster Abbey, which is perhaps amongst the most grateful compliments he could receive. MR. GREATOREX's pursuits are not altogether confined to music: he is no mean mathematician, much attached to astronomy, and possesses several valuable and superior telescopes: he is also a fellow of the Royal and Linnean Societies. MR. GREATOREX's compositions have yet been made known only to the subscribers of THE ANTIENT and VOCAL CONCERTS, where alone they have been heard. None of his works have, to our knowledge, been printed: they consist of harmonized airs and of addi tional instrumental parts to select portions of HANDEL, CROFT, MARCELLO, &c. &c. They are of a nature to do credit to his learning and taste, and to shew his intimate acquaintance with the powers and effects of a band. The praise of a conductor's services must lie in the fulfilment of a variety of duties; of these, the most irksome and insurmountable are so often hidden from the public view, that perhaps the highest commendation is to be found, not less in the rank and permanency of the and congruity observable in all Mr. G.'s pupils, demonstrate that he inculcates principles according to certain and fixed rules; and we should be extremely desirous to ascertain the effects of his system of instruction upon a female of excitability and vivid conception, with large compass and agility of voice. Such an example would bring the matter to proof. |