The art of music, Vol. 04 (of 14) : $b Music in America
History
The art of music, Vol. 04 (of 14) : $b Music in America
Music -- History and criticism; Musicians
A concert given in 1764 by Stephen Forrage for his own benefit and
that of other 'assistant performers at the Subscription Concert,' may
be mentioned, were it only for the fact that Mr. Forrage appeared as
soloist on Benjamin Franklin's 'famous Armonica, or Musical Glasses, so
much admired for their great Sweetness and Delicacy of its tone.' We
trust he had more respect for the musical proprieties than he evidently
entertained for the grammatical ones. After 1765 no concerts appear
until November, 1769, when Giovanni Gualdo gave a 'Grand Concert of
Vocal and Instrumental Musick ... directed by Mr. Gualdo, after the
Italian method'--whatever that may have been. Most of the program
consisted of compositions by Mr. Gualdo, and there were two overtures
by the Earl of Kelly.[32] In the same month a subscription series was
started--'The Vocal Music by Messieurs Handel, Arne, Giardini, Jackson,
Stanley, and others. The instrumental Music by Messieurs Geminiani,
Barbella, Campioni, Zanetti, Pellegrino, Abel, Bach, Gualdo, the Earl
of Kelly and others.' Gualdo gave two benefit concerts in 1770 and one
in 1771. He died soon after. In the latter year also Mr. John McLean,
instructor on the German flute, gave a concert 'performed by a full
Band of Music, with Trumpets, Kettle Drum, and every instrument that
can be introduced with Propriety,' and 'interspersed with the most
pleasing and select Pieces, composed by approved authors.' A concert
of popular songs by a Mr. Smith in 1772 was apparently the only public
attempt to break the musical monotony of Philadelphia until Signior
Sodi, 'first dancing master of the opera in Paris and London,' gave a
grand affair at which a Mr. Vidal, 'musician of the Chambers of the
King of Portugal,' played 'on divers instruments of music,' while
Signior Sodi, Miss Sodi, and Mr. Hullett (of New York) danced minuets,
a louvre, a 'new Philadelphia cotillion,' a rigadoon, an allemande,
a jigg, and a hompipe. In the same year 'Mr. Victor, musician to her
late Royal Highness the Princess of Wales and Organist of St. George's,
London,' advertised a performance on 'his new musical instruments ...
the one he calls _tromba doppio con tympana_, on which he plays the
first and second trumpet and a pair of annexed kettle drums with the
feet, all at once; the other is called _cymbaline d'amour_, which
resembles the musical glasses played by harpsichord keys, never subject
to come out of tune, both of his own invention.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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