Isabella Young
Encyclopedia
Isabella Young (17?, London – 12 August 1791, London) was an English mezzo-soprano
and organist
who had a successful career as a concert performer and opera
singer during the latter half of the eighteenth century. Young became particularly associated with the works of George Frideric Handel
and was a favorite singer of the composer during the last years of his life. She was also a part of a well-known English family of musicians that included several professional singers
and organist
s during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
. She was the eldest child of three daughters and her younger sister Elizabeth
was a successful contralto
and her youngest sister Polly
was a celebrated soprano
, composer
and keyboard
player. Both her grandfather, Charles Young, and her great uncle, Anthony Young were notable organists and composers. She also had three famous aunts who were all notable singers. Her Aunt Cecilia
(1712–1789), was one of the greatest English sopranos of the eighteenth century and the wife of composer Thomas Arne. Her Aunt Isabella
was also a successful soprano and the wife of composer John Frederick Lampe
and her Aunt Esther
was a well known contralto
and wife to Charles Jones, a successful music publisher in England during the eighteenth century.
Young studied singing
with the bass
Gustavus Waltz
and she made her professional debut appearing with him in concert on 18 March 1751. She went on to have a highly successful career as a concert and oratorio
singer in London and the provincial festivals. She became a favorite of Handel
's during the composers last few years, appearing in several performances of his works including the role of Counsel (Truth) in the world premiere of The Triumph of Time and Truth
in March 1757. She was also a soloist in the Messiah
performances at the Foundling Hospital
on a number of occasions. Young was also an accomplished organist
and would often play organ in recitals and concerts in addition to her singing. She became particullarly known for her organ recitals of Handel's compositions.
Although more famous as a concert soloist, Young also performed on the stage with success. In 1754 she sang in three operas by her uncle, Thomas Arne; Alfred and Rosamond at the Covent Garden Theatre
, and Eliza at the Little Theatre
in the Haymarket. In February 1755 she appeared at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
as Titania in J.C. Smith’s opera The Fairies. She returned to that theatre regularly through 1777, singing between the acts, in musical interlude
s and afterpiece
s. She also created roles in George Rush’s English operas The Royal Shepherd and The Capricious Lovers.
After her marriage to the Hon. John Scott in December 1757 Isabella usually sang in concerts and oratorios as Mrs Scott, but on stage she continued to describe herself as Miss Young until 1769.
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
and organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
who had a successful career as a concert performer and opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer during the latter half of the eighteenth century. Young became particularly associated with the works of George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
and was a favorite singer of the composer during the last years of his life. She was also a part of a well-known English family of musicians that included several professional singers
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
s during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Biography
Isabella Young was born in the 1720s or early 1730s but the exact year is now unknown as no record of her birth or baptism exists. Her father, Charles Young, was a clerk at the TreasuryHM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
. She was the eldest child of three daughters and her younger sister Elizabeth
Elizabeth Young (contralto)
Elizabeth Young was an English contralto and actress. She was part of a well-known English family of musicians that included several professional singers and organists during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries....
was a successful contralto
Contralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
and her youngest sister Polly
Polly Young
Polly Young was an English soprano, composer and keyboard player. She was part of a well-known English family of musicians that included several professional singers and organists during the 17th and 18th centuries...
was a celebrated soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and keyboard
Musical keyboard
A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
player. Both her grandfather, Charles Young, and her great uncle, Anthony Young were notable organists and composers. She also had three famous aunts who were all notable singers. Her Aunt Cecilia
Cecilia Young
Cecilia Young was one of the greatest English sopranos of the eighteenth century, the wife of composer Thomas Arne, and the mother of composer Michael Arne...
(1712–1789), was one of the greatest English sopranos of the eighteenth century and the wife of composer Thomas Arne. Her Aunt Isabella
Isabella Lampe
Isabella Lampe was an English operatic soprano and the wife of composer John Frederick Lampe...
was also a successful soprano and the wife of composer John Frederick Lampe
John Frederick Lampe
John Frederick Lampe was a musician.He was born in Saxony, but came to England in 1724 and played the bassoon in opera houses. His wife, Isabella Lampe, was sister-in-law to the composer Thomas Arne with whom Lampe collaborated on a number of concert seasons...
and her Aunt Esther
Esther Young
Esther Young was an English operatic contralto and the wife of music publisher Charles Jones...
was a well known contralto
Contralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
and wife to Charles Jones, a successful music publisher in England during the eighteenth century.
Young studied singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
with the bass
Bass (voice type)
A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
Gustavus Waltz
Gustavus Waltz
Gustavus Waltz was a bass opera singer who collaborated with Handel.Like Handel himself, Waltz was a naturalized Englishman, originally German, and is said to have worked for Handel as a cook. Their collaboration began in 1732. Waltz was a choral singer as well as a soloist.Waltz created roles in...
and she made her professional debut appearing with him in concert on 18 March 1751. She went on to have a highly successful career as a concert and oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
singer in London and the provincial festivals. She became a favorite of Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
's during the composers last few years, appearing in several performances of his works including the role of Counsel (Truth) in the world premiere of The Triumph of Time and Truth
The Triumph of Time and Truth
The Triumph of Time and Truth is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel which saw three iterations across 50 years of Handel's career.HWV 46a is an Italian oratorio from 1707. In 1737 Handel revised and expanded the oratorio to create HWV 46b...
in March 1757. She was also a soloist in the Messiah
Messiah (Handel)
Messiah is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742, and received its London premiere nearly a year later...
performances at the Foundling Hospital
Foundling Hospital
The Foundling Hospital in London, England was founded in 1741 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is today, simply...
on a number of occasions. Young was also an accomplished organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
and would often play organ in recitals and concerts in addition to her singing. She became particullarly known for her organ recitals of Handel's compositions.
Although more famous as a concert soloist, Young also performed on the stage with success. In 1754 she sang in three operas by her uncle, Thomas Arne; Alfred and Rosamond at the Covent Garden Theatre
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, and Eliza at the Little Theatre
Haymarket Theatre
The Theatre Royal Haymarket is a West End theatre in the Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use...
in the Haymarket. In February 1755 she appeared at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
as Titania in J.C. Smith’s opera The Fairies. She returned to that theatre regularly through 1777, singing between the acts, in musical interlude
Intermezzo
In music, an intermezzo , in the most general sense, is a composition which fits between other musical or dramatic entities, such as acts of a play or movements of a larger musical work...
s and afterpiece
Afterpiece
An afterpiece is a short, usually humorous one-act playlet or musical work following the main attraction, the full-length play, and concluding the theatrical evening. This short comedy, farce, opera or pantomime was a popular theatrical form in the 18th and 19th centuries...
s. She also created roles in George Rush’s English operas The Royal Shepherd and The Capricious Lovers.
After her marriage to the Hon. John Scott in December 1757 Isabella usually sang in concerts and oratorios as Mrs Scott, but on stage she continued to describe herself as Miss Young until 1769.