BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF S. WEBBE, J. S. SMITH, S. PAXTON, J. DANBY,R. J. S. STEVENS, AND R. SPOFFORTH.
COUNTERPOINT is said, by Johannes Nucius[82], to have originated in this country, an assertion which, well or ill founded, proves how very soon the art was practised in England after being first discovered and reduced to rule. Indeed our early ecclesiastical composers, as well as madrigalists, who suffer nothing by comparison with their contemporaries, the Flemings and Italians, shew the high degree of perfection which music in parts speedily attained in this island; and it may be consoling to our national pride—if as a nation we have any musical pride at all—to reflect, that our composers lost no ground till the encouragement bestowed by the court, and, consequently, by the great generally, on foreigners, tended much to check and depress British genius, by depriving it of that motive for exertion, without which the imagination grows cold, and industry is unavailing.
Nevertheless, the appointments in our choirs, poorly as they now reward talent, formerly kept the art of church composition from sinking, and madrigals never entirely fell into neglect; the study of counterpoint, therefore, was still pursued by a few, and led to the birth of the glee, which is the lovely offspring of the madrigal, the not very distant relation of our church music, and, undeniably, indebted to England for its creation.
It is for the latter reason that we conclude our biographical notices with some account of the most eminent of those glee-composers who have not yet been included in this department of our work[83]; but we feel it necessary to confine ourselves to such as ‘their worldly tasks have done,’ or have long retired from active professional life. Though we lament that, notwithstanding very diligent inquiries, our materials are, except in one or two instances, extremely scanty, furnishing little more than dates, and not always supplying even these. Our musical biography, however, would have been incomplete in the opinion of English readers, without names so well known as those now introduced, and in communicating all that we have been able to learn, we discharge a duty that we should with regret have left unfulfilled.
SAMUEL WEBBE was born in the year 1740. His father, a highly respectable gentleman, died suddenly at Minorca, where he held an office under the British Government, leaving the subject of this sketch an infant,—his property in such a state that his family never benefited by it, and his widow in circumstances which deprived her of the means of bestowing a proper education on her son, who was, at the early age of eleven, apprenticed to a cabinet-maker. When his term was completed, he immediately quitted an employment so far beneath his powers of mind, and commenced the study of the Latin language. But his mother dying a year after he had abandoned his mechanical pursuits, he was reduced to the necessity of copying music as a means of subsistence, being then nearly ignorant of the art, though a great admirer of it. This occupation led to an acquaintance with a German named Barbandt, organist of the Bavarian chapel, who initiated him in the rudiments of music. His almost unparalleled industry enabled him not only to support himself by copying, but to acquire, in addition to the Latin, a knowledge of French. At the age of twenty-three he married, and the birth of a child, while it did not lessen his difficulties, occasioned no interruption in his studies, for he now engaged an Italian master. He must by this time have obtained a considerable knowledge of music, for shortly after becoming a father, he began to give lessons, as well as to compose, and such was his progress, that at the age of twenty-six he gained a prize-medal from the Catch-club for the best canon. In 1768, only two years after, he received the medal for his glee, ‘A gen’rous friendship,’ which immediately established his reputation, and has ever since been admired as one of the most beautiful specimens of simple vocal harmony that the art has to boast.
From the year that first crowned his efforts with success, to 1792, Mr. Webbe had no less than twenty-seven medals awarded him, for glees, catches, canons and odes. But here it may not be irrelevant to remark, that four of his finest compositions, namely, ‘When winds breathe soft,’ ‘Hence, all ye vain delights,’ ‘The mighty conqueror of hearts,’ and ‘To me the wanton girls insulting say,’ were unsuccessful candidates for the golden honours bestowed on works of inferior merit; while of the many medals he obtained, not more than seven or eight were given for compositions that are now known. Eight, indeed, were the reward of useless mechanical labor, exhibited in the form of canons, none of which have survived the composer; and seven were the meed of catches, one of which, ‘To the old, long life and treasure,’ still maintains its ground.
On the death of Mr. Warren Horne, in 1784, Mr. Webbe was appointed Secretary to the Nobleman’s Catch-club, which office he held till his decease.
On the establishment of the Glee club, in 1787, Mr. Webbe became a professional member, and librarian. It was for this society he wrote his glee of perennial popularity, ‘Glorious Apollo,’ both words and music. During the time that he was actively pursuing his professional occupations, he found leisure to acquire an extensive knowledge of the German and Hebrew languages, and made himself conversant in many branches of polite literature. He even wooed the Muses, and of several of his works the poetry as well as music is believed to be from his pen. He also excelled in fencing and dancing, and added to his various accomplishments a simplicity of manners and benevolence of disposition, that endeared him to a large circle of acquaintance, among whom were some of the most distinguished persons of his day.
Mr. Webbe’s glees, &c., amount in number to one hundred and seven, and have been published in three large volumes. Besides these, he was the author of masses, (being a catholic) anthems, single songs, &c., many of them well known, but too numerous to be specified here. He died in 1817.
JOHN STAFFORD SMITH, who is still living, though he has long since retired to privacy, is a native of Gloucester, where he was born about the year 1750. His father, who was organist of that cathedral, having instructed him in the principles of music, sent him to London to complete his musical education under Dr. Boyce. At an early age he was appointed one of the gentlemen of the Chapels Royal, and on the death of Dr. Arnold, in 1802, he became organist of the same. In 1805 he succeeded Dr. Ayrton as master of the King’s choristers, which office he resigned in 1817, and shortly after withdrew from all professional employment.
When only twenty-three years of age, in 1773, Mr. Smith obtained the prize for a catch, which had, in fact, nothing to recommend it but that kind of grossness so much admired in those days; but the year following produced his fine serious glee, ‘Let happy lovers fly where pleasures call,’ to which the prize given by the Catch-club was most justly allotted. The same honour was with equal discrimination conferred in the three succeeding years, on his ‘Blest pair of syrens,’ ‘While fools their time in stormy strife employ,’ and ‘Return, blest days.’ He obtained in the whole eight of them honourable distinctions; but his very delightful, cheerful glees, ‘Let us, my Lesbia,’ and ‘As on a summer’s day,’ missed the reward due to them. Mr. Smith also is author of a madrigal, ‘Flora now calleth forth each flower,’ a work which, for contrivance and effect, may compete with anything of the kind extant. He likewise published a volume under the title of Musica Antiqua. containing specimens of the earliest compositions; and another, a collection of Ancient Songs; both of which bear testimony to his industry and research, and now form a part of every valuable musical library.
STEPHEN PAXTON.—Of this sweet composer nothing whatever is recorded, except the years when he obtained prizes for his glees. In 1779 he gained a medal for ‘How sweet, how fresh, this vernal day!’ in 1781 for ‘Round the hapless Andre’s urn;’ and in 1783, 1784, and 1785, for a catch, a glee, ‘Blest power!’ and an ode. He also composed ‘Go, Damon, go!’ the answer to ‘Turn, Amaryllis,’ and ‘Upon the poplar bough,’ two admirable glees. He had a brother, William, who wrote the delicious three-voiced glee, ‘Breathe soft, ye winds,’ in E; likewise a canon, which gained a prize in 1780. One of the Paxtons, but we cannot ascertain which, was a distinguished performer on the violoncello, and alternately with Crosdill, afterwards with Cervetto, played first violoncello at the Ancient Concerts.
JOHN DANBY—Still less is known of this composer than of the preceding. He gained ten prizes from the Catch-club, for seven glees, two canons, and an ode. Among the first are three which will secure to him a niche in the temple of Fame, viz., ‘When Sappho tuned the raptured strain,’ ‘Awake, Æolian lyre,’ and ‘The fairest flowers the vale prefer.’ He was a member of the Catholic church, and died, either at the end of the last or beginning of the present century, at the moment a concert was performing for his benefit; for long-continued bad health had much impaired his circumstances, and rendered the assistance of his friends and the public essentially necessary.
RICHARD JAMES SAMUEL STEVENS is still living, at an advanced age, but has long retired from active life. His first appointment was as organist to the Temple. In 1795 he succeeded Mr. John Jones in the place of organist of the Charter House; and in 1801, on the death of Dr. Aylward, was elected Professor of Music to Gresham College. In 1782 he gained the prize-medal for a serious glee, ‘See, what horrid tempests rise!’ and another in 1786, a cheerful glee, ‘It was a lover and his lass.’ But his most popular works, those which will transmit his name, are, ‘Ye spotted snakes,’ ‘Sigh no more, ladies,’ ‘From Oberon,’ ‘Crabbed age and youth,’ and ‘Strike the harp in praise of Bragela,’ compositions sparkling with genius, but which some who delectate in canons affect to despise, unmindful of Æsop’s well-known apologue. The most stubborn line-and-rule critics, however, are forced to admit the merit of his five-voiced serious glee, from Ossian, ‘Some of my heroes are low,’ in which the poetry and science of music are equally blended.
Mr. Stevens published two, if not three, sets of glees, and edited a useful Collection of Anthems, &c., in three folio volumes. He has one son, recently a gentleman-commoner at Oxford, who, it is to be presumed, will inherit his very independent fortune.
REGINALD SPOFFORTH was a native of Southwell in Nottinghamshire, a place famed for its venerable collegiate church, of which his uncle, Mr. Thomas Spofforth, was organist, who so ably instructed his nephew in music, and by his example as well as precept fixed in him such habits of industry, that at en unusually early age he became qualified to officiate for his relation, and distinguished himself at the concerts given in different parts of the county. Being much noticed by Sir Richard Kaye, Bart., a prebendary of Southwell and Dean of Lincoln, he accompanied his patron to the latter place, and for a short time acted as deputy-organist of the cathedral[84], but soon quitted that city, and proceeded to London, where he became a disciple of Dr. Cooke, under whom he studied upwards of three years, with every advantage that could be derived from so admirable an instructor, seconded by the most unwearied assiduity. He also took lessons of Steibelt on the piano-forte, and devoted some portion of his time to the Italian language. But his knowledge and skill were not immediately productive, and he had to encounter pecuniary difficulties, for his father was unable to assist him, and his uncle—a miser, such as is rarely met with but on the stage—was unwilling. His wants, however, were few, and his talents in every branch of his profession at length forced him into notice. In 1793, he offered to the Catch-club a serious and a cheerful glee, as candidates for the prizes, and obtained both: ‘Where are those hours?’ and ‘See, smiling from the rosy East,’ were the successful compositions. He now formed an acquaintance with Mr. Shield, musical manager of Covent Garden, and contributed many songs, duets, &c. to various pieces produced at that theatre. When the latter set out on his Italian tour, Mr. Harris offered the vacant appointment to Mr. Spofforth, who, weighing the difficulties and vexations inseparable from the office, with great prudence declined the proposal. He now determined to divide his time between teaching and the composition of glees, and was soon so much occupied by the former, while he devoted to the latter hours that ought to have been surrendered to sleep, that his health was gradually undermined, and he at length fell a victim to his industry and application.
In 1797 he undertook the musical direction of a toxopholitico-musico-theatrical club, called the Bowman’s Lodge, which was supported by some of the beau monde. He also accepted the place of organist to Fitzroy Chapel, which he relinquished for that at Eltham, where he passed much time, giving lessons at a great school in the neighbourhood, and enjoying the society of his friend Mr. Laurence, brother to the learned civilian, who was the intimate of Burke, and for some years member for Peterborough.
In 1826 Mr. Spofforth lost his uncle, whose fortune fell to him: he, however, enjoyed his independence but for a short period. The year after, in the month of August, the nervousness of which he had so long been the prey, and which for many years had prevented his attempting any new work, appeared in a fatal form. On the 31st he was attacked by paralysis, and lost the use of one side. In this state he continued till the 8th of September, when he expired, in the fifty-eighth year of his age.
Besides the two prize-glees above mentioned, Mr. Spofforth produced several of at least equal excellence; among which, ‘Mark’d you her eye of heavenly blue?’ ‘Health to my dear!’ ‘L’Ape e le Serpe,’ ‘Hail, smiling morn,’ and ‘Come, bounteous May,’ have received the stamp of public approbation that never will be effaced, and which their intrinsic merit alone obtained; for the author was a man too modest in his nature, too retiring in his habits, to have recourse to means adopted by many composers, and perhaps fairly, for the purpose of forcing their works into notice.