“The following Song and Chorus, ‘Come, if you dare, our Trumpets sound,’ is in Purcell tolerable; but so very short of that Intrepity and Spirited defiance pointed at by Dryden’s words and sentiments, that, I think, you have only to hear what I have compos’d on the occasion, to make you immediately reject the other. The Air ‘Let not a Moon-born Elf mislead you,’ is, after the two first bars of Purcell, very bad, and out of Mr. Champnes’ compass of voice.—Hear mine. All the other Solo Songs of Purcell are infamously bad; so very bad, that they are privately the objects of sneer and ridicule to the musicians, but, I have not meddled with any, that are not to come from the mouths of your principal Performers. I wish you wou’d only give me leave to Doctor this performance, I would certainly make it pleasing to the Public, which otherwise, may prove an obstruction to the success of the Revival. It is not now my intention to new set many things, mention’d in our original plan; but to put it in the power of your principal performers to make a proper figure, by opening and adorning the most entertaining points of view, wherein they are to appear; consequently, the expence will be much short of the Sume propos’d; all self-interest subsiding to the earnest desire I shall ever entertain, of proving my sincerity, when I stile myself Sir Your devoted humble servt.
ThoS. AugNE. Arne.”
Happily Garrick did not accede to Arne’s requests, and much of Purcell’s music was left in the Masque. Arne composed a new Overture in which he introduced an imitation on the flute of the call of the “Cuckow.” The whole of the first Act, including the famous “Come, if you dare,” was left with Purcell’s music untouched. In the second Act there were several changes; a new recitative, both words and music, “Alas, the horrors of this bloody field,” was sung by Mrs. Baddeley. This, and a new air, “O peace descend,” were composed by Arne; “the music ill match’d” that of Purcell. Before the chorus, “Come follow me,” Arne introduced a solo “on the subject of Purcell’s chorus, in which he took care to write a goodly number of runs to show off Mrs. Baddeley’s execution.” A new song by Arne, “How blest are the shepherds,” was substituted for Purcell’s solo and chorus, and Mrs. Baddeley was provided with a recitative, “We must work, we must haste,” followed by an air, “To virtue with rapture,” and also “Thus I infuse these sov’reign dews.” Mrs. Wrighten had new music composed for her, a recitative, “Oh sight,” and an air, “’Tis sweet the blushing morn to view.” It may be noted that the words of these pieces were written by Garrick. The third Act, with Purcell’s masterly “Frost Scene,” was left intact. In the fourth Act Purcell’s lovely duet, “Two daughters of this aged stream,” also the solo and chorus, “How happy the lover,” were retained. The music of the fifth Act included Purcell’s “Fairest Isle all Isles excelling.” The final air and chorus, “Saint George the Patron of our Isle,” had new music by Arne.
There are some entries in the “Mawhood”[21] diary referring to Dr. Arne in 1770: “13 June, Calld. on Dr. Arne who will compose some music for Mr. Pemberton’s Diurge.” “23d. Calld. on Dr. Arne had a small practtice of the Service, for Mr. Pemberton.” “28{th}. Was at Church, performd Dr. Arne and Webb’s Burial for my poor friend Francs. Pemberton.”
A manuscript copy of the Dirge is to be found in the British Museum. It was presented in the year 1849 by Vincent Novello to the Musical Antiquarian Society. His father, Giuseppe Novello, in 1770 resided in Oxford Road, and probably worshipped in the Sardinian Chapel, where Vincent, born in 1781, became a chorister boy; this may account for his possession of the manuscript of the Dirge. It is in the handwriting of a copyist, not an autograph, and has many errors. It is not complete; at the commencement there should have been ten bars of instrumental introduction, which are only indicated in the manuscript by rests. The pencil marks of figured bass are in the handwriting of Vincent Novello; there are also pencilled names of solo singers—Swiney, Fitz, Lanza, Guichd, Novello. The music is admirable, and opens with a chorus for treble, alto, two tenors, and bass, to the words “Libera me, Domine, de morte æterna.” The pathos of this quintet, admirably expressive of the text, cannot be praised too highly. The words “Tremens factus sum ego” are set as a solo for a bass voice, in the style of many cathedral anthems of the period. The manuscript, evidently intended for the organist, gives the necessary organ-bass part; this solo, in the key of A minor, leads into a short chorus in C major to the words “Quando Cœli morendi sunt.” A solo for a tenor voice to the words “Dies illa, Dies iræ,” exhibits Arne’s skill in writing vocal music, and is a very touching and effective piece of work; it is followed without a break by a chorus, “Dies Magna”; the next movement is a soprano solo, “Requiem æternam,” in E major, a charming melody, with Italian fiorituri. A short chorus, “Requiescat in pace,” concludes a composition which is a very fine example of Arne’s genius, quite worthy of publication and performance. The British Museum possesses another manuscript of the composer to Latin words, “O salutaris hostia,” which looks like an exercise in fugue writing, not intended for Church performance. It may have been sent to the “Catch Club” in competition for a prize.
It has already been stated that Arne deserted his wife in 1756; what their relations were in the succeeding years can only be surmised. She was regarded by her contemporaries as a good and injured woman, and her husband was notoriously a profligate. Some few years ago a number of autograph manuscript documents came into the possession of the present writer, which throw a light on the unhappy condition of things as they existed in 1770. On the 22nd of November in that year, Mrs. Arne’s Attorney sent the following letter to Dr. Arne:
“Sir,—I am employed to institute a Suit in the Commons on the Complaint of your wife against you.