Thomas Arne

Thomas Augustine Arne ( born May 28, 1710 in London, † March 5, 1778 in London ) was an English composer of the pre-classical

Life and work

Thomas Arne comes from a Catholic family of craftsmen. His father Thomas Arne (1682-1736), an upholsterer, sent him to law school to Eton. There he studied the way violin and composition with Michael Christian Festing. He finally devoted himself entirely to art. His first work was the opera Rosamond ( to a libretto by Joseph Addison ), which was already very successful; even more was the case with Thumb, or the opera of operas and 1738 with the opera Comus ( text by John Milton ), in which Arne anbrachte many nationally -British tunes he sent intertwined with newfound motifs in the Italian and German style. In 1740 he left over from the at that time very popular actress and singer Kitty Clive in the world premiere of his opera Alfred the part of Venus and Emma.

In 1741 he led a lawsuit against a leading London bookseller, whom he accused of having violated its copyrights. The dispute was ended by an out of court settlement. Arne is one of the first artists who einklagten their copyright in court.

After he and his wife Cecilia Arne, born Young, an excellent singer and pupil Francesco Geminiani, for two years was performed with acclaim in Ireland, he was in 1745 appointed to London as a composer for the Vauxhallgärten, where he most clearly by little, his individuality displayed vocal pieces caused a great sensation. In 1755 he separated from Cecilia, because she was insane, in its opinion, and began a love affair with Charlotte Brent, one of his pupils. His ability to write in Italian style, showing his 1762 performed opera Artaxerxes (after Metastasio ). Besides operas, which throughout the 30 he wrote ( serious and funny ), he has written several oratorios, but appear colorless and meager addition to Handel's. By Arne comes the melody of an unofficial English national anthem Rule, Britannia: It is the final song from the Masque of Alfred.

Among his pupils was the music historian and composer Charles Burney.

Thomas Augustine Arne died on 5 March 1778 in London. He was buried along with his wife, with whom he had reconciled shortly before his death, at St Paul 's Church. His illegitimate son of Michael Arne ( 1740/41-1786 ) was also a respected composer.

Vocal works

  • A Grand Epithalamium, 1736, lost
  • Black- ey'd Susan ( Cant., R. Leveridge ), 1740, lost
  • God bless our noble king, A, T, B, ATB, 2 hn, 2 if, st, bc, 1745, GB - Lbl, ed C. Bartlett ( Wyton, 1985)
  • Fair Celia love pretended ( Cant., W. Congreve ), 1v, vns, bc, vocal cantata, i ( 1749)
  • Ode to Chearfulness, 1750, lost
  • Cymon and Iphigenia ( Cant., J. Dryden ), 1v, str, bc, vs (1750 ), pts Bu
  • Six Cantatas, fs ( 1755): Bacchus and Ariadne, 1v, 2 fl, 2 if, 2 hn, str, bc; Delia, 1v, str, bc; Frolick and Free (G. Granville ), 1v, 2 if, str, bc; Lydia (after Sappho ), 1v, 2 bn, str, bc; The Morning, 1v, fl / rec, st, bc; The School of Anacreon, 1v, 2 hn, str, bc; Lydia and The Morning, Both ed. R. Hufstader (New York, 1971)
  • 5 odes in Del Canzionere d' Orazio (1757 ): Delle Muse all'almo core, 1v, str, bc; Finche fedele il core, 2VV, 2 fl, st, bc; Finche fedele il core, 2VV, 2 vn, bc; Se Avanti in telephony, 1v, 2 hn, str, bc; Tu mi fuggi schizzinosa, 1v, 2 vn, bc [= Advice to Chloe ]
  • The Spring ( Cant. ), 1v, str, bc, British Melody (1760 )
  • Advice to Chloe ( Cant. ), 1v, vns, bc, New Favourite Songs ( 1768)
  • An Ode upon dedicating a building to Shakespeare ( D. Garrick ), 1769, speaker, S, S, S, S, T, Bar, SATB, orch; 9 nos. in vs (1769 )
  • Love and Resolution (musical dialogue), 1770, lost
  • Reffley Spring ( Cant. ) 2VV, 2 vn, bc, vs ( 1772)
  • Diana ( Cant. ), 1v, 2 fl, 2 if, 2 cl, 2 hn, 2 vn, bc; vs. in The Vocal Grove ( 1774)
  • Whittington 's Feast ( secular orat, Arne, after Dryden Alexander 's Feast ), 1776, S, S, T, B, SATB, 2 fl, 2 if, 2bn, 2 tpt, 2 hn, timps, drum, st, bc, fs, US- Wc
  • A wretch long tortured with disdain ( Cant. ), 1v, 2 fl, 2 if, 2 hn, str, bc, full score GB- Lbl
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