William Hayes (composer)

William Hayes ( * probably January 25, 1708 in Gloucester, † July 27, 1777 in Oxford ) was an English organist and composer.

Life

William Hayes was probably born in January of 1708 in Gloucester. The exact birthday is not known, but his baptism on 26 January is busy. About his youth and his musical training is not very much known. It is clear that he was taken nine years old in the choir of Gloucester Cathedral, who was at that time the leadership of Cantor William Hine. From him, we may assume, William Hayes was a profound musical instruction.

After holding various positions as organist ( 1729 St. Mary's Shrewsbury 1731 Worcester Cathedral, 1734 Magdalen College, Oxford), he was appointed on January 14, 1741 as the successor to Richard Goodsons Professor of Music at the University of Oxford.

Six years earlier, on July 8, 1735, Hayes had acquired the academic degree of Bachelor of Music. Interestingly enough, the test piece, which he had to compose for obtaining the title is obtained. This is the Ode When the fair consort in the Elysian Choir of the Greek mythology removed story of Orpheus and Eurydice.

In the original title for the first publication states:

On April 14, 1749 William Hayes was awarded the doctorate during the opening ceremonies of the Radcliffe Library Oxford.

Among his most important musical activities included the founding of the weekly concert series at the Holywell Music Room ( founded 1748) and the performances of various oratorios he admired George Frideric Handel ( as Hayes got the first performance of the Messiah in Oxford).

William Hayes died highly honored on July 27, 1777 in Oxford. His son Philip Hayes (1738-1797) was also a composer and his successor as Professor of Music at Oxford.

Assessment

Over a period of 26 years, William Hayes was in his position as Professor of Music, the leading musical force in Oxford and is responsible for many important innovations, such as the already mentioned concerts in the Holywell Music Room. Actually, that should be reason enough, the extensive compositional legacy of this man (→ see list of works below) to accept and forward them to the musical life again, but so far a renaissance of his work has not yet started.

" Hayes ' musical style strongly oriented on the George Frideric Handel's" as it is formulated in some relevant lexicons. This is certainly not wrong in principle, but it can easily lead to misunderstandings. The " Typical " to Handel's music was for the most part a the then musical taste adapted way of composing, which was taken up by William Hayes. With that in mind, including Hayes ' music only superficial similarities with the Handel. Rather, William Hayes, a child of his time and the musical innovations of the late Baroque and early Classical is by no means unreceptive. In his works there is baroque, polyphonic notation next to records that are more reminiscent of the sensitive style.

Through his prestigious post at the University of Oxford William Hayes was not dependent on making money with composing. That is the reason why he could afford to subject his works one for that time very unusually long creative process. The completion of the Oden The Passions and The Fall of Jericho moved, for example, on for months or years. And even after the first performances he still brought some changes in the score. Compared to Handel this type of composition seems extremely inefficient.

The Passions

In 1747, the extremely talented, but unfortunately during his lifetime rather unsuccessful English poet William Collins published a collection of poems under the title of Odes on Several Descriptive and Allegoric Subjects. The last of the 12 odes in this issue is titled The PASSIONS. An Ode for Music. She had been so determined to musical setting from the outset by the poet, but without having had a single composer at a glance.

The installation of this poem is relatively simple and follows the English tradition of Cäcilienoden. Musically it represents but for that time entirely new challenges to the composer: the implementation of human emotional states in music. Although the so-called program music of the late 17th and early 18th century knew striking representations of nature, some of which were even provided with a description (such as Friedrich Funcke, Danck and Denck feast on [ ... ] the thunderbolt [ ... ] 1666 S. Johannis Lüneburg [ ... ] or Telemann's vocal poem in the spring ), but the musical realization of passions was something unprecedented.

Collins ' Ode divided as follows:

William Hayes is not used for its premiered on July 2, 1750 Theatre of Oxford 's setting of The Passions of the original text of the Ode, but instructs his superior, the Chancellor of the University of Oxford, to change the conclusion. In the first edition to be found the following note:

Exactly why Hayes did change the text that is barely comprehensible. It is recognized, however, that the proposed closing of Collins could be set to music very well, for some 30 years after William Hayes, the Englishman Benjamin Cooke took the Ode to set them to music and also lessen completely. Markus Marti developed in his essay a theory, due to which it was almost imperative for Hayes to change the conclusion, as in the original form of all new musical achievements of the time to be questioned and the "old " and then " old-fashioned " music will be celebrated as the only true. Maybe it was just a clever move by Hayes. After all, should not be forgotten that his poet was his superior who may have felt safe, flattered due to the claims made by Hayes.

The librettist William Collins has experienced only after the world premiere of Hayes ' setting of his poem and he seemed not to have known that his text had been altered. In a letter dated on November 8, 1750 letter, he asks William Hayes about to send him a copy of his composition. He also mentioned a new, written by him Ode "to the music of the Greek Theatre ", which would be suitable, according to Collins ' statement ideal for a university audience, and suggests she Hayes for scoring before. William Hayes seem to have not responded to this letter. A sending the score did not take place, and of Collins ' "Ode to the music of the Greek theater " has except for a few fragments that can not be assigned to one hundred percent but get nothing.

Works

Vocal music

• Twelve arietts or ballads, and two cantatas (Score pressure Oxford 1735)
• Vocal and instrumental musick in three parts ( score Print Oxford 1742)
• The Fall of Jericho, Ode / Oratorio ( manuscript ca 1740-1750 )
• Six Cantatas set to Musick ( score printing London 1748)
• Peleus and Thetis, Masque ( manuscript 1749)
• The Passions, An Ode to Music ( manuscript in 1750, score print edited by Philip Hayes in 1800)
• Where shall the Muse, Ode ( manuscript 1751 )
• Hark! Hark from every tongue, install Ode ( manuscript 1759)
• O did some pensive Muse, Ode to the Memory of Mr. Trade ( manuscript about 1759)
• Ode Sacred to Masonry in: Social Harmony ( edited by T. Hale, score printing London 1763)
• Catches and glees canons, 3 parts ( score printing Oxford in 1757, 1765 & 1773)
• A supplement to the catches, glees and canons (Score pressure Oxford 1765 )
• Sixteen psalms selected from the Revd. Mr. Merrick 's new version ( score printing London 1773)
• Daughters of Beauty, Commemoration Ode ( manuscript 1773)
• Sixteen psalms selected from the Revd. Mr. Merrick 's new version ( time of origin unknown, score printing London 1773)
• David, Act I, oratorio ( manuscript about 1774 to 1777, supplemented by Philip Hayes )
• Te Deum, Manuscript ( time of origin unknown)
• Cathedral Music in score ( unknown date of origin, Score pressure edited by Philip Hayes Oxford 1795)
• Harmonia Wiccamica ( time of origin unknown, score pressure edited by Philip Hayes )

Instrumental music

• 8 Concerti Grossi ( Manuscript)
• Concerto for Harpsichord and Orchestra ( Manuscript)
• 2 Concerti for Organ, Strings and Basso Continuo ( Manuscript)
• Sonata for Oboe, Violin and Continuo Bassco (included in Part 2 of Vocal and Instrumental Musick of 1742)
• 5 Sonatas for 2 Violins and Basso Continuo ( Manuscript)

Expenditure

• Orpheus and Euridice, edited by C. Stawiarski at Musica Poetica Edition, Free Download
• The Passions, edited by C. Stawiarski at Musica Poetica Edition ( = musical monuments of the early modern period, Volume 1 )