-
Articles/Ads
Article BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF EMINENT (DECEAS... ← Page 7 of 11 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Biographical Sketches Of Eminent (Deceas...
sition , as he knew of no one who gave _ so . immediate and satisfactory information . He was always willing to play the compositions of others , and his memory was very tenacious , but with the exception ,
of his own extemporaneous performance , he retained little or any remembrance . In this style he very often appeared to hazard bold and uncommon modulations , so that Mr . Barrington has seen his brother Charles tremble for him , but without cause , for he always had the power of extricating himself without being in danger of breaking down .
About this time the late Dr . Crotch appeared as a musical prodigy , and , as a specimen of Samuel Wesley ' s disposition , we shall transcribe Mr . Barrington ' s account in his favour ; he says— " And here I will give an account of his goodness of heart and delicacy of feelings . I had desired him to confine a melody in the minor third , for an
experiment on little Crotch , and that he would go with me to hear what that very extraordinary child was capable of . Crotch was not in good humour , and Master Wesley submitted / amongst other things , to play on a cracked violin , in order to please him ; the company ,
however , having found out who lie was , pressed him very much to play upon the organ , which Samuel constantly declined . As this was contrary to his usual readiness in obliging any person who had the curiosity to hear him , I asked him afterwards what might be the occasion of his refusal , when he told me that he thought it would look
like wishing to shine at little Crotch ' s expense . " Mr . Barrington took him to the Temple organ , in which keyboards there are quarter tones , but it was with the same effect—he came off with flying colours . He was also requested to compose a march for one of the regiments of guards , which was much approved ; and as his kind patron thought he might like to hear it , he took him to the parade at the proper hour . The march being finished , Mr . B asked him if it was executed to his satisfaction ; to which ho
replied , " By no means ; " whereupon his conductor immediately took him among the tall bandsmen , and Sam told them that they had not done justice to his composition . They ansAvered the urchin with both astonishment and contempt , by " Your composition !"
SamhoAvever replied with great serenity , " Yes , my composition ; which Mr . B . confirmed ; upon which the bandsmen stared , and made excuses , and Sam corrected some errors they had made in their transcripts , and they repeated the march to the composer ' s satisfaction . Taking leave of the Hon . Dailies Barrington—who appears to have been an amiable man , strongly endowed with love for art , and a desire to promote the welfare of the artist—we pass on to the scattered fragments of the wrecked course of one of the greatest geniuses this
world has known . This portion of our labours is rendered peculiarly difficult , because there are family reasons why we should abstain from placing the whole of his career before the world . There are the feelings of his descendants—men of amiable nature , ranking high in their respective professions—who would be unnecessarily pained were the old tale of family differences , and their results , agi ' n paraded to
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Biographical Sketches Of Eminent (Deceas...
sition , as he knew of no one who gave _ so . immediate and satisfactory information . He was always willing to play the compositions of others , and his memory was very tenacious , but with the exception ,
of his own extemporaneous performance , he retained little or any remembrance . In this style he very often appeared to hazard bold and uncommon modulations , so that Mr . Barrington has seen his brother Charles tremble for him , but without cause , for he always had the power of extricating himself without being in danger of breaking down .
About this time the late Dr . Crotch appeared as a musical prodigy , and , as a specimen of Samuel Wesley ' s disposition , we shall transcribe Mr . Barrington ' s account in his favour ; he says— " And here I will give an account of his goodness of heart and delicacy of feelings . I had desired him to confine a melody in the minor third , for an
experiment on little Crotch , and that he would go with me to hear what that very extraordinary child was capable of . Crotch was not in good humour , and Master Wesley submitted / amongst other things , to play on a cracked violin , in order to please him ; the company ,
however , having found out who lie was , pressed him very much to play upon the organ , which Samuel constantly declined . As this was contrary to his usual readiness in obliging any person who had the curiosity to hear him , I asked him afterwards what might be the occasion of his refusal , when he told me that he thought it would look
like wishing to shine at little Crotch ' s expense . " Mr . Barrington took him to the Temple organ , in which keyboards there are quarter tones , but it was with the same effect—he came off with flying colours . He was also requested to compose a march for one of the regiments of guards , which was much approved ; and as his kind patron thought he might like to hear it , he took him to the parade at the proper hour . The march being finished , Mr . B asked him if it was executed to his satisfaction ; to which ho
replied , " By no means ; " whereupon his conductor immediately took him among the tall bandsmen , and Sam told them that they had not done justice to his composition . They ansAvered the urchin with both astonishment and contempt , by " Your composition !"
SamhoAvever replied with great serenity , " Yes , my composition ; which Mr . B . confirmed ; upon which the bandsmen stared , and made excuses , and Sam corrected some errors they had made in their transcripts , and they repeated the march to the composer ' s satisfaction . Taking leave of the Hon . Dailies Barrington—who appears to have been an amiable man , strongly endowed with love for art , and a desire to promote the welfare of the artist—we pass on to the scattered fragments of the wrecked course of one of the greatest geniuses this
world has known . This portion of our labours is rendered peculiarly difficult , because there are family reasons why we should abstain from placing the whole of his career before the world . There are the feelings of his descendants—men of amiable nature , ranking high in their respective professions—who would be unnecessarily pained were the old tale of family differences , and their results , agi ' n paraded to