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Mary Anne à Beckett

December 29, 2022

Mary Anne à Beckett (29 April 1815 – 11 December 1863)[n 1] was an English composer, primarily known for opera. She was the wife of the writer Gilbert à Beckett, who provided the libretti for two of her operas. Their children included the writers Gilbert Arthur à Beckett and Arthur William à Beckett. Her theatrical connections included her brother, the actor and producer impresario Augustus Glossop Harris, and his eldest son, also an impresario, Sir Augustus Harris.

Mary Anne à Beckett

Biography

Mary Anne à Beckett was born in London, the eldest daughter of Joseph Glossop and his wife, Elizabeth, née Feron. Among their other children was the future actor and producer Augustus Glossop Harris, whose elder son was the impresario Sir Augustus Harris.[2] Glossop, a man of doubtful financial means, was at various times lessee of the Royal Coburg Theatre (now called the Old Vic), and manager of La Scala, Milan, and the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.[2] His wife, the daughter of an émigré from the French Revolution,[3] sang professionally under her maiden name, "Madame Feron".[4]

In January 1835 Mary Anne married Gilbert à Beckett, a writer and magistrate.[3] They had two daughters and four sons, including Gilbert Arthur à Beckett and Arthur William à Beckett.[5]

Mary Anne à Beckett composed songs, piano pieces, incidental music, and three operas: Agnes Sorel (1835), Little Red Riding Hood (1842) and The Young Pretender (1846). The most successful of these was the first, described as "an operatic farce", loosely based on the life of Agnès Sorel, mistress of Charles VII of France. The piece, with words by the composer's husband, was the first production at John Braham's St James's Theatre in London in 1835. The anonymous reviewer in The Times dismissed the libretto as "cold, dull and comfortless", but praised some of the music as "evinc[ing] no inconsiderable share of taste and skill".[6] The composer turned down the suggestion that she should conduct the performances herself, declining to make public appearances,[7] but her sister made her debut, very successfully, in this production.[6] Little Red Riding Hood, with libretto by Gilbert à Beckett, opened at the Surrey Theatre in August 1842.[8] A reviewer in The Musical World praised the music, and commented that though it was not conspicuously original it was "adroitly put together, and … is consequently preferable to some loftier doings in loftier places, which, in their aim to be very original, are far less pleasing in their material, and far more clumsily dovetailed."[9]

The music for the last of her three operas The Young Pretender was, like that of its 1835 predecessor, better received than the libretto (which was by Mark Lemon). The Times praised "some pretty pieces of vocal music in light Italian style"; the reviewer in The Observer considered the score, "not original in its melodies nor scientific in its construction", but reserved his severest censure for Lemon's libretto: "as dreary a production as it is possible to imagine in any work professing to be a drama".[10] The following year she published The Music Book, a collection of twenty original songs, quadrilles and waltzes by her and her male British contemporaries.[11]

Gilbert à Beckett died in 1856, and in July 1857 his widow was given a civil list pension of £100 in recognition of her husband's contributions to society as a magistrate and writer. Lemon was one of the trustees of the pension.[12]

Compositions

Operas and incidental music

  • Agnes Sorel, opera. 1836, St James's Theatre London
  • Incidental music to Mabel's Curse by Anna Maria Fielding, 1837, St James's Theatre
  • Incidental music (with George Stansbury) to Wanted, a Brigand, or, A visit from Fra-Diavolo, 1837. Musical burletta in one act by Gilbert A'Beckett, St James's Theatre.
  • Little Red Riding Hood. A Fairy Opera, 1842, Surrey Theatre, London
  • The Young Pretender, musical play with libretto by Mark Lemon, 1846, Haymarket Theatre, London.

Songs and Duets

Piano pieces

  • "The Casino Waltz". 1847
  • "The Ridotto Waltz". 1847
  • "The Royal Nursery Quadrilles, or Popular Nursery Tunes". 1851.
Source: Music und Gender im Internet.[13]

Notes and references

Notes
  1. ^ Other sources give 1817 or 1818 as her year of birth, but having checked against the official records for the family members the biographer Dudley Cheke endorses the earlier date.[1]
References
  1. ^ Cheke, p. 46
  2. ^ a b Knight, Joseph "Harris, Augustus Frederick Glossop (1826–1873)", rev. Nilanjana Banerji, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, retrieved 21 April 2014 (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  3. ^ a b à Beckett, p. 54
  4. ^ The London Literary Gazette and Journal of Belles Lettres, Volume 11, 1827, p. 780
  5. ^ Schlicke, Paul. "À Beckett, Gilbert Abbott (1811–1856)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, May 2009, retrieved 21 April 2014 (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  6. ^ a b "The St James's Theatre", The Times, 15 December 1835, p. 5
  7. ^ à Beckett, p. 55
  8. ^ à Beckett, pp. 56–57
  9. ^ The Musical World, 11 August 1842, p. 254, quoted at "Mary Anne A'Beckett", Musik und Gender im Internet (in German), retrieved 21 April 2014
  10. ^ "Haymarket Theatre", The Observer, 30 November 1846, p. 4
  11. ^ "The Music Book", British Library, retrieved 21 April 2014
  12. ^ "Mary Ann à Beckett" Victorian English Opera, retrieved 21 April 2014
  13. ^ "Mary Anne A'Beckett", Musik und Gender im Internet (in German), retrieved 21 April 2014

Sources

  • À Beckett, Arthur William (1903). The à Becketts of "Punch". London: Constable. OCLC 770982283.
  • Cheke, Dudley (1993). Joséphine and Emilie : stars of the bel canto in Europe and America, 1823-1889. Oxford: Carpenter. ISBN 1897766084.

December 29, 2022
mary, anne, beckett, april, 1815, december, 1863, english, composer, primarily, known, opera, wife, writer, gilbert, beckett, provided, libretti, operas, their, children, included, writers, gilbert, arthur, beckett, arthur, william, beckett, theatrical, connec. Mary Anne a Beckett 29 April 1815 11 December 1863 n 1 was an English composer primarily known for opera She was the wife of the writer Gilbert a Beckett who provided the libretti for two of her operas Their children included the writers Gilbert Arthur a Beckett and Arthur William a Beckett Her theatrical connections included her brother the actor and producer impresario Augustus Glossop Harris and his eldest son also an impresario Sir Augustus Harris Mary Anne a Beckett Contents 1 Biography 2 Compositions 2 1 Operas and incidental music 2 2 Songs and Duets 2 3 Piano pieces 3 Notes and references 4 SourcesBiography EditMary Anne a Beckett was born in London the eldest daughter of Joseph Glossop and his wife Elizabeth nee Feron Among their other children was the future actor and producer Augustus Glossop Harris whose elder son was the impresario Sir Augustus Harris 2 Glossop a man of doubtful financial means was at various times lessee of the Royal Coburg Theatre now called the Old Vic and manager of La Scala Milan and the Teatro San Carlo in Naples 2 His wife the daughter of an emigre from the French Revolution 3 sang professionally under her maiden name Madame Feron 4 In January 1835 Mary Anne married Gilbert a Beckett a writer and magistrate 3 They had two daughters and four sons including Gilbert Arthur a Beckett and Arthur William a Beckett 5 Mary Anne a Beckett composed songs piano pieces incidental music and three operas Agnes Sorel 1835 Little Red Riding Hood 1842 and The Young Pretender 1846 The most successful of these was the first described as an operatic farce loosely based on the life of Agnes Sorel mistress of Charles VII of France The piece with words by the composer s husband was the first production at John Braham s St James s Theatre in London in 1835 The anonymous reviewer in The Times dismissed the libretto as cold dull and comfortless but praised some of the music as evinc ing no inconsiderable share of taste and skill 6 The composer turned down the suggestion that she should conduct the performances herself declining to make public appearances 7 but her sister made her debut very successfully in this production 6 Little Red Riding Hood with libretto by Gilbert a Beckett opened at the Surrey Theatre in August 1842 8 A reviewer in The Musical World praised the music and commented that though it was not conspicuously original it was adroitly put together and is consequently preferable to some loftier doings in loftier places which in their aim to be very original are far less pleasing in their material and far more clumsily dovetailed 9 The music for the last of her three operas The Young Pretender was like that of its 1835 predecessor better received than the libretto which was by Mark Lemon The Times praised some pretty pieces of vocal music in light Italian style the reviewer in The Observer considered the score not original in its melodies nor scientific in its construction but reserved his severest censure for Lemon s libretto as dreary a production as it is possible to imagine in any work professing to be a drama 10 The following year she published The Music Book a collection of twenty original songs quadrilles and waltzes by her and her male British contemporaries 11 Gilbert a Beckett died in 1856 and in July 1857 his widow was given a civil list pension of 100 in recognition of her husband s contributions to society as a magistrate and writer Lemon was one of the trustees of the pension 12 Compositions EditOperas and incidental music Edit Agnes Sorel opera 1836 St James s Theatre London Incidental music to Mabel s Curse by Anna Maria Fielding 1837 St James s Theatre Incidental music with George Stansbury to Wanted a Brigand or A visit from Fra Diavolo 1837 Musical burletta in one act by Gilbert A Beckett St James s Theatre Little Red Riding Hood A Fairy Opera 1842 Surrey Theatre London The Young Pretender musical play with libretto by Mark Lemon 1846 Haymarket Theatre London Songs and Duets Edit Vainly to me of love you speak Duet Words by Gilbert A Beckett c 1840 Farewell dear scenes Ballad 1842 Wherefore maiden art thou straying Rondo 1842 Tis not the sparkling diadem Ballad 1842 When mem ry through the mist of tears 1843 Dear scenes of happier hours Ballad 1845 My home must be where er thou art Words by Mark Lemon 1846 I dream of thee Song Words by Barry Cornwall 1847 Love me if I live Song Words by Barry Cornwall 1847 My home must be where er thou art Song Words by Mark Lemon 1847 Lightly won is lightly held Duett Words by Mark Lemon 1847 A maiden from her lonely bow r Ballad Words by Mark Lemon 1847 One kindly word before we part Ballad Words by Mark Lemon 1847 Ne er think that I ll forget thee Words by the composer Ballad 1850 It is o er that happy dream Ballad Words by Bertie Vyse 1851 Do not smile Ballad Words by J D Douglas 1851 And must we then in silence meet Ballad Words by the composer 1851 Dear scenes of happier hours Ballad Words by Gilbert A Beckett 1854 Oh come again sweet summer time Ballad Words by William A Beckett 1854 Take back thy gift Ballad Words by Gilbert A Beckett 1854 Dear scenes of happier hours Ballad Words by Gilbert A Beckett 1854 Dear Italy Ballad Words by Gilbert A Beckett 1856 Dear old England A patriotic song Words by Mrs V Roberts 1859 Piano pieces Edit The Casino Waltz 1847 The Ridotto Waltz 1847 The Royal Nursery Quadrilles or Popular Nursery Tunes 1851 Source Music und Gender im Internet 13 dd Notes and references EditNotes Other sources give 1817 or 1818 as her year of birth but having checked against the official records for the family members the biographer Dudley Cheke endorses the earlier date 1 References Cheke p 46 a b Knight Joseph Harris Augustus Frederick Glossop 1826 1873 rev Nilanjana Banerji Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 retrieved 21 April 2014 subscription or UK public library membership required a b a Beckett p 54 The London Literary Gazette and Journal of Belles Lettres Volume 11 1827 p 780 Schlicke Paul A Beckett Gilbert Abbott 1811 1856 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 online edition May 2009 retrieved 21 April 2014 subscription or UK public library membership required a b The St James s Theatre The Times 15 December 1835 p 5 a Beckett p 55 a Beckett pp 56 57 The Musical World 11 August 1842 p 254 quoted at Mary Anne A Beckett Musik und Gender im Internet in German retrieved 21 April 2014 Haymarket Theatre The Observer 30 November 1846 p 4 The Music Book British Library retrieved 21 April 2014 Mary Ann a Beckett Victorian English Opera retrieved 21 April 2014 Mary Anne A Beckett Musik und Gender im Internet in German retrieved 21 April 2014Sources EditA Beckett Arthur William 1903 The a Becketts of Punch London Constable OCLC 770982283 Cheke Dudley 1993 Josephine and Emilie stars of the bel canto in Europe and America 1823 1889 Oxford Carpenter ISBN 1897766084 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mary Anne a Beckett amp oldid 1044246343, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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