Charles Avison

[ The Man. ] ( Parley ings with Certain People of Importance in their Day. 1887. No. VII.) “Charles Avison, a musician, was born in Newcastle about 1710, and died in the same town in 1770. He studied in Italy, and on his return to England became a pupil of Gemini an i. He was appointed organist of St. Nicholas’ Church, Newcastle, in 1736. In 1752 appeared his celebrated E ay on Musical Expre ion , which startled the world by the boldne with which it put the French and Italian schools of music above the German, headed by Handel himself. This book led to a controversy with Dr. Hayes, in which, according to the Dictionary of National Biography , from which we take the facts, ‘Hayes had the best of the argument, though Avison was superior from a literary point of view.’ Avison, who is reported to have been a man of great culture and polish, published several sets of sonatas and concertos, but there are probably few persons at the present day who have ever heard any of his music.” ( Pall Mall Gazette , Jan. 18th, 1887.) [ The Poem. ] This is a criticism of the province and office of music in its influence on the mind of man. “There is no truer truth obtainable By man, than comes of music,” says Mr. Browning. Underneath Mind rolls the unsounded sea—the Soul. Feeling from out its deeps emerges in flower and foam. “Who tells of, tracks to source the founts of Soul?” Music e ays to solve how we feel, to match feeling with knowledge. Manifest Soul’s work on Mind’s work, how and whence come the hates, loves, joys, hopes and fears that rise and sink ceasele ly within us? Of these things Music seeks to tell. Art may arrest some of the transient moods of Soul; Poetry discerns, Painting is aware of the seething within the gulf, but Music outdoes both: dredging deeper yet, it drags into day the abysmal bottom growths of Soul’s deep sea. Notes. —ii., “ March ”: Avison’s Grand March was po e ed in MS. by Browning’s father. The music of the march is added to the poem. iv., “ Great John Relfe ”: Browning’s music master—a celebrated contrapuntist. Buononcini, Giovanni Battista , Italian musician. He was a gifted composer, declared by his clique to be infinitely superior to Handel, with whom he wrote at one time in conjunction. Gemini an i, Francesco , Italian violinist (1680-1762). He came to London under the protection of the Earl of E ex in 1714. His musical opinions are said to have had no foundation in truth or principle. Pepusch, John Christopher , an eminent theoretical musician, born at Berlin about 1667. He performed at Drury Lane in about 1700. He took the degree of Mus. Doc. at Oxford at the same time with Croft, 1713. He was organist at the Charter-House, and died in 1752. v., Hesperus . The song to the Evening Star in Tannhauser , “O Du mein holder A bend stern,” is referred to here (Mr. A. Symons). viii., “ Radamista ,” the name of an opera by Handel, first performed at the Hay market in 1720. “ Rinaldo ,” the name of the opera composed by Handel, and performed under his direction at the Hay market for the first time on Feb. 24th, 1711. xv., “ Little Ease ,” an uncomfortable punishment similar to the stocks or the pillory.