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William Crotch

April 09, 2024

William Crotch (5 July 1775 – 29 December 1847) was an English composer and organist. According to the British musicologist Nicholas Temperley, Crotch was "a child prodigy without parallel in the history of music", and was certainly the most distinguished English musician in his day.[1]

William Crotch
Background information
Born5 July 1775
Died29 December 1847(1847-12-29) (aged 72)
Occupation(s)Composer & Organist

Life edit

Childhood edit

 
William Crotch playing the organ, aged 3½, in an illustration from The London Magazine, April 1779

William Crotch was born in Norwich, Norfolk, to a master carpenter. Like Mozart, he was a child prodigy, playing the organ his father had built.[2] At the age of two he became a local celebrity by performing for visitors, among them the musician Charles Burney, who wrote an account of his visits for the Royal Society.[3] The three-year-old Crotch was taken to London by his ambitious mother, where he not only played on the organ of the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace, but performed for King George III. The London Magazine of April 1779 recorded:

He appears to be fondest of solemn tunes and church musick, particularly the 104th Psalm. As soon as he has finished a regular tune, or part of a tune, or played some little fancy notes of his own, he stops, and has some of the pranks of a wanton boy; some of the company then generally give him a cake, an apple, or an orange, to induce him to play again...[4]

Crotch was later to observe that this experience led him to become a rather spoiled child, excessively indulged so that he would perform.

Adult life edit

Crotch was for a time organist at Christ Church, Oxford, from which he was later to graduate with a Bachelor of Music degree. His first attempt at an oratorio, The Captivity of Judah, was played at Trinity Hall, Cambridge on 4 June 1789 when he was 14. His most successful—and largest scale—composition was the oratorio Palestine (1812), after which he mainly returned to smaller scale works.[2] He may have composed the Westminster Chimes in 1793, which are played by Big Ben each time it strikes the hour.

In 1797, Crotch became Heather Professor of Music at Oxford University, and in 1799 he acquired a doctorate in music. While at Oxford, he became acquainted with the musician and artist John Malchair, and took up sketching. He followed Malchair's style in recording the exact time and date of each of his pictures, and when he met the artist John Constable in London in 1805, he passed the habit along to the more famous artist.

In 1822 he was appointed to the Royal Academy of Music as its first principal, but resigned ten years later.[1] Among his notable pupils were William Sterndale Bennett, Lucy Anderson, Stephen Codman, George Job Elvey, Cipriani Potter, and Charles Kensington Salaman. In 1834, to commemorate the installation of the Duke of Wellington as chancellor of the University of Oxford. Crotch composed his oratorio The Captivity of Judah. This 1834 work bears little resemblance to the oratorio of the same title he wrote as a child, in 1789.[2] It was set to the same text as the earlier version, but is otherwise completely different. It received two complete performances during the composer's lifetime and was never published.

Crotch spent his last years at his son's house in Taunton, Somerset, where he died in 1847. He was buried in the churchyard of St Peter and St Paul in Bishop's Hull, just outside Taunton.[2]

Two grandsons of William Crotch became eminent entomologists: George Robert Crotch and his brother William Duppa Crotch.

Selected compositions edit

  • Captivity of Judah (1798), oratorio.
  • Three piano sonatas, published on subscription in 1793.
  • Overture in A (1795), the first of three orchestral "sinfonias". No 2 in Eb was composed in 1808 and revised in 1817; No 3 in F was composed in 1814-15.[5]
  • Ten Anthems (1798, revised 1804). Among them are 'Sing we merrily', 'How Dear are Thy Counsels', 'Oh Lord God of hosts', and 'Be merciful unto me'.
  • Ode to Fancy (1799, text Joseph Wharton), for two four-part choruses, three soloists and small orchestra, written as an exercise for his Mus.Doc degree.
  • Three organ concertos (circa 1804), played often in concerts during Crotch's time in Oxford. In a similar style to near-contemporary organ concertos by Charles Wesley, Samuel Wesley and William Felton, all influenced by Handel.
  • 12 Fugues, the subjects taken from chants (1835-7) for organ or piano (this instruction presumably written in an effort to increase sales)
  • Palestine, oratorio (1812), text Reginald Heber. First performed at the Hanover Square Rooms on 21 April 1812 and repeated due to popular demand on 26 May. Two and a half hours of music, by far his most popular work, and typically judged his best. The Epiphany anthem 'Lo! star-led chiefs' still receives independent performances and recordings today.
  • Symphony in F major (1814)
  • Symphony in Eb (1817, unfinished)
  • Ode on the King's Accession (1820) for chorus and orchestra. George IV became king in January 1820. First performed in Oxford, 1821.
  • The Joy of our Heart is Ceased (1827), choral anthem, written on the death of the Duke of York.
  • Captivity of Judah (1834), oratorio.
  • The Lord is King (1838), choral anthem, his last large-scale work, first performed in 1843.

References edit

  1. ^ a b Temperley, Nicholas; Heighes, Simon. "Crotch, William", Grove Music Online, Oxford University Press, accessed 22 September 2021(subscription required)
  2. ^ a b c d Rennert 1975.
  3. ^ Burney 1779.
  4. ^ "Account of the Musical Phenomænom". The London Magazine. Vol. 48. London: R. Baldwin. April 1779. pp. 147–149.
  5. ^ Sadie, Stanley (January 1993). . Gramophone. Archived from the original on 20 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.

Sources edit

Further reading edit

  • Olleson, Philip (2004). "Crotch, William". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/6810. OCLC 56568095. Retrieved 22 September 2021. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  • Snowman, Janet (2010). "The Left and Right Hands of the Eighteenth-century British Musical Prodigies, William Crotch and Samuel Wesley". Laterality: Asymmetries of Body, Brain and Cognition. 15 (1–2): 209–252. doi:10.1080/13576500903201792. PMID 20391154. S2CID 205779680.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to William Crotch.

April 09, 2024
william, crotch, july, 1775, december, 1847, english, composer, organist, according, british, musicologist, nicholas, temperley, crotch, child, prodigy, without, parallel, history, music, certainly, most, distinguished, english, musician, background, informati. William Crotch 5 July 1775 29 December 1847 was an English composer and organist According to the British musicologist Nicholas Temperley Crotch was a child prodigy without parallel in the history of music and was certainly the most distinguished English musician in his day 1 William CrotchBackground informationBorn5 July 1775Died29 December 1847 1847 12 29 aged 72 Occupation s Composer amp Organist Contents 1 Life 1 1 Childhood 1 2 Adult life 2 Selected compositions 3 References 4 Sources 5 Further reading 6 External linksLife editChildhood edit nbsp William Crotch playing the organ aged 3 in an illustration from The London Magazine April 1779William Crotch was born in Norwich Norfolk to a master carpenter Like Mozart he was a child prodigy playing the organ his father had built 2 At the age of two he became a local celebrity by performing for visitors among them the musician Charles Burney who wrote an account of his visits for the Royal Society 3 The three year old Crotch was taken to London by his ambitious mother where he not only played on the organ of the Chapel Royal in St James s Palace but performed for King George III The London Magazine of April 1779 recorded He appears to be fondest of solemn tunes and church musick particularly the 104th Psalm As soon as he has finished a regular tune or part of a tune or played some little fancy notes of his own he stops and has some of the pranks of a wanton boy some of the company then generally give him a cake an apple or an orange to induce him to play again 4 Crotch was later to observe that this experience led him to become a rather spoiled child excessively indulged so that he would perform Adult life edit Crotch was for a time organist at Christ Church Oxford from which he was later to graduate with a Bachelor of Music degree His first attempt at an oratorio The Captivity of Judah was played at Trinity Hall Cambridge on 4 June 1789 when he was 14 His most successful and largest scale composition was the oratorio Palestine 1812 after which he mainly returned to smaller scale works 2 He may have composed the Westminster Chimes in 1793 which are played by Big Ben each time it strikes the hour In 1797 Crotch became Heather Professor of Music at Oxford University and in 1799 he acquired a doctorate in music While at Oxford he became acquainted with the musician and artist John Malchair and took up sketching He followed Malchair s style in recording the exact time and date of each of his pictures and when he met the artist John Constable in London in 1805 he passed the habit along to the more famous artist In 1822 he was appointed to the Royal Academy of Music as its first principal but resigned ten years later 1 Among his notable pupils were William Sterndale Bennett Lucy Anderson Stephen Codman George Job Elvey Cipriani Potter and Charles Kensington Salaman In 1834 to commemorate the installation of the Duke of Wellington as chancellor of the University of Oxford Crotch composed his oratorio The Captivity of Judah This 1834 work bears little resemblance to the oratorio of the same title he wrote as a child in 1789 2 It was set to the same text as the earlier version but is otherwise completely different It received two complete performances during the composer s lifetime and was never published Crotch spent his last years at his son s house in Taunton Somerset where he died in 1847 He was buried in the churchyard of St Peter and St Paul in Bishop s Hull just outside Taunton 2 Two grandsons of William Crotch became eminent entomologists George Robert Crotch and his brother William Duppa Crotch Selected compositions editCaptivity of Judah 1798 oratorio Three piano sonatas published on subscription in 1793 Overture in A 1795 the first of three orchestral sinfonias No 2 in Eb was composed in 1808 and revised in 1817 No 3 in F was composed in 1814 15 5 Ten Anthems 1798 revised 1804 Among them are Sing we merrily How Dear are Thy Counsels Oh Lord God of hosts and Be merciful unto me Ode to Fancy 1799 text Joseph Wharton for two four part choruses three soloists and small orchestra written as an exercise for his Mus Doc degree Three organ concertos circa 1804 played often in concerts during Crotch s time in Oxford In a similar style to near contemporary organ concertos by Charles Wesley Samuel Wesley and William Felton all influenced by Handel 12 Fugues the subjects taken from chants 1835 7 for organ or piano this instruction presumably written in an effort to increase sales Palestine oratorio 1812 text Reginald Heber First performed at the Hanover Square Rooms on 21 April 1812 and repeated due to popular demand on 26 May Two and a half hours of music by far his most popular work and typically judged his best The Epiphany anthem Lo star led chiefs still receives independent performances and recordings today Symphony in F major 1814 Symphony in Eb 1817 unfinished Ode on the King s Accession 1820 for chorus and orchestra George IV became king in January 1820 First performed in Oxford 1821 The Joy of our Heart is Ceased 1827 choral anthem written on the death of the Duke of York Captivity of Judah 1834 oratorio The Lord is King 1838 choral anthem his last large scale work first performed in 1843 References edit a b Temperley Nicholas Heighes Simon Crotch William Grove Music Online Oxford University Press accessed 22 September 2021 subscription required a b c d Rennert 1975 Burney 1779 Account of the Musical Phenomaenom The London Magazine Vol 48 London R Baldwin April 1779 pp 147 149 Sadie Stanley January 1993 Crotch Orchestral Works Gramophone Archived from the original on 20 December 2022 Retrieved 20 December 2022 Sources editBurney Charles 1779 Account of an Infant Musician Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 69 1779 183 206 doi 10 1098 rstl 1779 0018 JSTOR 106418 Rennert Jonathan 1975 William Crotch 1775 1847 Composer Artist Teacher The Musical Times 116 1589 622 623 doi 10 2307 960437 ISSN 2397 5318 JSTOR 960437 Further reading editOlleson Philip 2004 Crotch William Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 6810 OCLC 56568095 Retrieved 22 September 2021 Subscription or UK public library membership required Snowman Janet 2010 The Left and Right Hands of the Eighteenth century British Musical Prodigies William Crotch and Samuel Wesley Laterality Asymmetries of Body Brain and Cognition 15 1 2 209 252 doi 10 1080 13576500903201792 PMID 20391154 S2CID 205779680 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to William Crotch Free scores by William Crotch at the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP Free scores by William Crotch in the Choral Public Domain Library ChoralWiki William Crotch 1775 1847 from the Here of a Sunday Morning website affiliated with the New York radio station WBAI Portraits of Crotch in the National Portrait Gallery London Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Crotch amp oldid 1217476952, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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