James Cuthbert Hadden

“ Mearns, 'The Scottish Sacramental Sabbath,' 'The Scottish National Melody,' and 'The Child's Dream' have also attained considerable popularity in Scotland. Most of Hyslop's poetry published during his lifetime appeared in the 'Edinburgh Magazine' from 1819 onwards. He wrote a good deal in prose, chiefly upon the persecution of the covenanters. Two essays in the 'Edinburgh Magazine,' 1820, 'A Defence of Modern Scottish Poetry,' and 'An Account of an Apparition in Airsmoss,' are worthy of note. ”

“ The development of the English taste for choral music during the last forty years may be said to have been created by the cheap publications of the house of Novello, the idea of which, though due to J. Alfred Novello, was entirely carried out by the energy of Littleton. He brought forward many well-known composers, and in some cases bore the cost of their education. ”

“ Most of the prefaces to the different volumes were written by Burns, and it may be said that he edited the work. ‘Perhaps you may not find your account lucratively in this business,’ Burns wrote to Johnson, ‘but you are a patriot for the music of your country, and I am certain posterity will look on themselves as highly indebted to your public spirit.’ In another letter the poet describes Johnson as ‘a good, worthy, honest fellow.’ In the Edinburgh subscription list, opened after Burns's death for the benefit of his family, the name of ‘James Johnson, engraver,’ is set down for 4l. ”

“ Lynch himself replied to his opponents in 'The Ethics of Quotation,' and in a pamphlet of doggerel verse, entitled 'Songs Controversial' (both London, 1856, and issued under the pseudonym of 'Silent Long') . A full account of the controversy is given in his 'Memoirs.' Lynch had undoubtedly a cultivated mind and the true poetic spirit; but the hymns in the 'Rivulet' express too exclusively an admiration for nature to be suitable for Christian worship. Nine of his hymns are included in the new 'Congregational Church Hymnal' (London, 1887) ; but none of them are popular in the churches. ”

“ In 1796 he married Willman's daughter, and took to composing for and teaching military bands and the pianoforte. On the disbanding of his regiment he became organist at Westport, co. Mayo, and while there invented a machine called the 'chiroplast,' designed to facilitate the acquirement of a correct position of the hands on the pianoforte, and devised the system of music teaching known by his name (for a description of the 'chiroplast' see Grove, Dictionary of Music, i. 346) . ”

“ OREM, WILLIAM (fl. 1702) , historian of Aberdeen, belonged to a family who had a long connection with Old Aberdeen. On 7 Sept. 1691 he was admitted conjunct clerk of Old Aberdeen, and he is said to have died soon after 1725. A Thomas Orem, ‘baile in Old Aberdeen,’ died there on 9 July 1730, and the name occurs several times in the local burial records. William Orem wrote ‘A Description of the Chanonry, Cathedral, and King's College of Old Aberdeen in the years 1724 and 1725,’ which has been much quoted by later local historians. ”

“ A rendering by Kethe of the 94th psalm was published in 1558, attached to a tract called ‘The Appellation of John Knox.’ Kethe's 100th psalm appeared in the appendix of the first complete English metrical Psalter (1562) , but was admitted into the text of the edition of 1565. Warton describes Kethe as ‘no unready rhymer;’ and if regard be had to the different elements of variety, fidelity, energy, and elegance, he is entitled to a high place among the psalter versifiers. His ‘long’ and ‘peculiar’ metres are superior to most of his day. ”

“ He was appointed singing-master to the college at Trèves, for which he wrote a ‘Singschule: oder Praktische Anweisung zum Gesange,’ Trèves, 1831. He had to leave Germany on account of his political opinions, and in 1833 he went to Brussels, where he wrote an opera, and acted as musical editor of ‘L'Artiste.’ Proceeding to Paris he taught popular singing classes and contributed musical articles to various journals. He came to England in 1839, and in 1841 competed unsuccessfully for the music chair in Edinburgh University. He was in Edinburgh till about 1848, when he left for Manchester. ”

“ AGNES (1762–1840) , Scottish poetess, eldest daughter of John Ramsay L'Amy of Dunkenny, Forfarshire, was born at Dundee early in 1762. In 1786 she became the wife of the Rev. Dr. James Lyon of Glamis, Forfarshire, and died 14 Sept. 1840. She was a woman of some talent and fancy, and wrote poetry, filling four manuscript volumes, which she directed at her death to remain unprinted, unless the family needed pecuniary assistance. ”

“ His father, who died 15 July 1881, was organist forty-one years, according to the epitaph on his tombstone in the graveyard, so that the office of organist at Beverley was held by father and son for the almost unprecedented period of ninety-eight years. The younger Lambert was not only an excellent organist, but a fine violoncello and violin player. ”

“ Kirk was an admirable Gaelic scholar, and most of his literary work lay in this direction. He was the author of the first complete translation of the Scottish metrical psalms into Gaelic, published at Edinburgh in 1684 under the title of 'Psalms of Dbarbhidh an Meadrachd,' &c. ”

“ The prediction of the epitaph that his 'harmonious compositions shall outlive monumental registers, and, with melodious notes through future ages, perpetuate his fame,' has only been partly fulfilled, for, with the exception of the long-metre hymn-tune, 'Kent,' none of his compositions are now heard. From contemporary notices we gather that Lampe was an excellent musician, and a man of irreproachable character. ”

“ In Edinburgh he had an extensive connection as a teacher of the violin and pianoforte, and commanded the highest fees in the profession. At one time he is said to have been worth upwards of 20,000l., accumulated solely from the proceeds of his balls and teaching. He started business as a music-seller on two separate occasions, first in 1796, in company with William Shepherd, and next in company with his son Niel. ”

“ McGLASHAN, ALEXANDER (d. 1797) , Scottish violinist, flourished in Edinburgh about the, end of the last century. He was an able and spirited leader of the fashionable bands in Edinburgh, and had some reputation as a composer of Scottish music. He edited 'A Collection of Strathspey Reels, with a Bass for the Violoncello and Harpsichord' (Edinburgh, 1780) , and 'A Collection of Scots Measures, Hornpipes, Jigs, &c.' (1781) . ”

“ He also contributed to Macleod's 'National Melodies' and the 'Edinburgh Literary Journal.' His songs are rich in fancy, and show a true instinct for the music of words. Several of them have won considerable popularity, and find a place in all Scotch collections. `Oh, gin I were where Gadie rins' is a special favourite, and its tune was for long the quick-march of the Aberdeen city rifle battalion. ”

“ He was the author of a solitary literary effort, 'Samuelis Primitiæ, or an Essay towards a Metrical Version of the whole Book of Psalms ' (London, 1661) , in which his portrait appears. The book is dedicated 'to my most honoured father-in-law, Charles Potts, Esq., son to Sir John Potts, Knight and Barronet.' The title states that the work was 'composed when attended with the disadvantagious circumstances of youth and sickness.' The version, though eulogised by Dr. Manton and Gabriel Sanger, is of no value. ”

“ In 1782 he was appointed one of his majesty's trumpeters for Scotland, having to attend royal proclamations, and to accompany the justiciary judges on their circuits. In 1791 he became leader of the band formerly conducted by m'Glashan. This band was in great request, and his memorandum books show that as much as a hundred and fifty guineas was occasionally paid for their services. He was frequently called to London, and on most of these occasions he had an invitation to play at private parties given by George IV, then Prince of Wales. ”

“ At the age of ten he became a chorister at Rochester Cathedral, and was soloist there for five years. Leaving the cathedral he became a clerk in Chatham Dockyard, but continued his musical studies. In 1869 he went to Milan, where he studied singing for two years under San Giovanni. In February 1871 he appeared for Mr. Sims Reeves at St. James's Hall with great success, and on 29 Aug. 1872 made his début on the stage at Covent Garden as Prince Babil in Boucicault's ‘Babil and Bijou.’ Soon after he joined the Kellogg English opera company in America, where he was well received. ”

“ His brother, Peter Latrobe (1795–1863) , took orders in the Moravian church, and succeeded his father as secretary of the Moravian mission. He too had musical talent, both as an organist and composer; he wrote for an edition of the 'Moravian Hymn Tunes' an 'Introduction on the Progress of the Church Psalmody,' which shows a wide knowledge of the subject.
[Brief Notices of the Latrobe Family, as cited under Christian Ignatius Latrobe; private information which shows that the statement in Grove's Dict. of Music (ii. 102) that J. A. Latrobe was an organist in Liverpool is incorrect.] ”

“ LONGMUIR, JOHN (1803–1883) , Scottish antiquary, son of John Longmuir and Christian Paterson, was born near Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, 13 Nov. 1803. In 1814 his parents removed to Aberdeen, where he was educated at the grammar school and Marischal College. After graduating M.A. he completed his divinity studies, and taught for some years in schools at Stonehaven and Forres. The presbytery of Forres licensed him to preach in July 1833. In 1837 he was appointed evening lecturer in Trinity Chapel, Aberdeen, and in September 1840 was ordained to ‘Mariners'’ quoad sacra church there. ”

“ LATROBE, CHRISTIAN IGNATIUS (1758–1836) , musical composer, eldest son of the Rev. Benjamin Latrobe, a prominent Moravian minister, was born at Fulneck, near Leeds, 12 Feb. 1758. The family is said to have been of Huguenot extraction, and to have originally settled in Ireland, coming over there with William of Orange. In 1771 Christian went to Niesky, Upper Lusatia, for study at the Moravian college there, and after completing his course was appointed teacher in the pedagogium or high school. ”

“ The institution, established with the view of providing a central organisation of the profession of organist, together with a system of examination and certificates, is now the most influential of its kind in the country, and Limpus did much to give it this position. ”

“ In 1832 he was appointed conductor at the Royal Academy of Music, and in 1839 organist of Hanover Chapel, Regent Street. He was for some time conductor of the Choral Harmonists' Society, and from 1840 to 1843 occasionally conducted at the Antient Concerts. From 1859 to 1866 he was principal of the Royal Academy of Music, and from 1856 to 1865 a member of the music-publishing house of Addison, Hollier, & Lucas. He was in much request as a violoncello player, and in that capacity succeeded Robert Lindley [q. v.] at the opera and the leading festivals and concerts. ”

“ He returned to England in 1784, was ordained, and in 1787 became secretary to the Society for the Furtherance of the Gospel. In 1795 he succeeded James Hutton [q. v.] as secretary of the Unity of the Brethren in England, and at the Herrnhut synod of 1801 was appointed a 'senior civilis,' an office of the ancient brethren's church which he was the last to hold. ”

“ KNAPP, WILLIAM (1698–1768) , musical composer, was born at Wareham, Dorset (Hutchins) , in 1698. He was for thirty-nine years parish clerk of Poole, and died there in September (he was buried on the 26th) 1768. He published ‘A Sett of New Psalm Tunes and Anthems in Four Parts, with an introduction to Psalmody after a plain and familiar manner,’ London, 1738, 7th edition, 1762, and ‘New Church Melody,’ London, 1753, with portrait prefixed. ”

“ Under his own name, and in collaboration with Haynes Bayly, he subsequently produced very many songs, the most notable of which were ‘The Veteran’ and ‘She wore a wreath of roses.’ After these came, among other productions, a song, ‘The Parting,’ and a duet, ‘Let's take this world as some wide scene,’ words of both by Thomas Moore. In 1839 Knight visited America, and there composed his famous song ‘Rocked in the cradle of the deep,’ which will always be associated with Braham. ”

“ Kethe is now remembered chiefly for his metrical psalms, especially for his version of the 100th psalm, ‘All people that on earth do dwell.’ The latter was in some carelessly revised early psalters ascribed to Hopkins (Warton attributes it to Whittingham) , but the earliest published versions are signed with Kethe's initials, and all the later and best authorities agree in assigning it to him. ”

“ LANGDON, RICHARD (1730–1803) , organist and composer, son of Charles Langdon of Exeter, and grandson of Tobias Langdon (d. 1712) , priest-vicar of Exeter, was born at Exeter in 1730. An uncle, Richard Langdon, with whom he is sometimes confused, was born in 1686. The younger Richard Langdon was appointed organist of Exeter Cathedral on 23 June 1753 (Cathedral Records) . He graduated Mus.Bac. at Exeter College, Oxford, 13 July 1761, aged 31 (Oxford Register) . ”

“ She studied under Sir William Sterndale Bennett [q. v.] and Sir George Alexander Macfarren [q. v.] , and first attracted attention as a composer by a quartet performed in 1861 by the Musical Society of London. She had an exceptional musical faculty, and produced in rapid succession quartets, symphonies, concertos, and cantatas, many of which were heard at the concerts of leading societies. A setting of Collins's ode, ‘The Passions,’ was performed at the Hereford Festival of 1882. ”