Dr. Arne and Rule, BritanniaCummings, William Hayman
History
Dr. Arne and Rule, Britannia
Cummings, William Hayman
Arne, Thomas Augustine, 1710-1778
In 1769 Arne composed an Ode for the Shakespeare Jubilee at
Stratford-on-Avon; the words of the Ode were written by Garrick, who
paid the composer sixty guineas for the music, which was published with
the following title: "An Ode upon dedicating a building to Shakespeare,
which was erected by the subscription of the Noblemen and Gentlemen
in the neighbourhood of Stratford upon Avon, the music composed by
Dr. Arne. London, Printed and Sold by John Johnston, at No. 11, York
Street, Covent Garden." There are nine pieces of music; one Air became
popular, "Thou soft flowing Avon," which was sung by Miss Weller; the
other singers were Mrs. Barthelemon, Mr. Vernon, Mr. Champness, Mrs.
Baddeley, and Master Brown. A semi-chorus in the work is entitled
"A strict Fuge for 4 voices. Chapel Time." This was evidently sung
unaccompanied, and although short must have made a good effect.[20]
At the same Jubilee festival, Arne's oratorio "Judith" was performed
at the Church. In 1770, Garrick determined on reviving Dryden's "King
Arthur" at Drury Lane Theatre, and engaged Arne to superintend the
musical part of the performance, who seems to have suffered at the time
from an overdose of self-importance, and addressed the following letter
to:
"DAVID GARRICK, ESQ. SIR,--A due attention to your Commission having
gone hand in hand with what fancy and judgment I may be thought to
possess in my profession, I thought it necessary to lay before you a
true state of the merits and demerits of the Musical Performance, you
are about to exhibit in King Arthur. To attain a certain rectitude,
in judging of this matter, I have not only, with the utmost care and
candor, inspected the Score of Purcell's composition; but attended two
rehearsals of it; the result of which, is, as follows:
"The long Scene of the Sacrifice, in the 1st Act, necessary to be
deliver'd in, as being written for Music, may have a solemn and noble
effect, provided that the last Air and Chorus--'I call you all to
Woden-hall'--be perform'd as I have new compos'd it; the introductory
Air to be sung by Champness, which being highly spirited, will carry
off with an eclat, an, (otherwise) dull, tedious, antiquated suite of
Chorus: Besides which, that Song, as set by Purcell, is intirely out
of Mrs. Baddeley's compass, very indifferent, and no way proper for a
woman, where a troop of warriors are assembled, to bribe their idols
for a success in battle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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