Jane Mary Guest
Encyclopedia
Jane Mary Guest, also known as Jenny Guest and later as Jane Mary Miles, (c. 1762 – 20 March 1846) was an English composer and pianist. A pupil of Johann Christian Bach
, and initially composing in the galante
style, she composed keyboard sonata
s, other keyboard works and vocal works with keyboard accompaniment. She was piano teacher to Princess Amelia
and Princess Charlotte of Wales.
. She performed in London from 1779, giving subscription concerts there in 1783/84. She was known for her expressive style of playing. Around this time she published her Six Sonatas, Op. 1, which gained extensive subscriptions, including from royalty, and which were also published in Paris in 1784 and Berlin in 1785.
On 29 August 1789 she married Abram or Abraham Allen Miles, an accountant, in London. During the 1790s she taught and gave performances in Bath, including at concerts directed there by Venanzio Rauzzini
, who was another of her teachers. She also wrote some unpublished concertos which do not seem to have survived.
In 1804 she became the piano tutor of Princess Amelia, the youngest daughter of George III
, and in 1806 to the Prince Regent
's daughter Princess Charlotte of Wales. However Amelia died in 1810 after years of illness, while all of Charlotte's staff were fired in 1814 by her father. Guest remained Charlotte's tutor at least until that time.
Her husband Abram died in 1832 and she died on 20 March 1846 in Blackheath, London
, where she had been living with her daughter Louisa. She was buried with her husband at the church of St Edmund, King and Martyr. The popularity of some of her works continued, with republication of "The Fairies' Dance" in 1863 and "The Bonnie Wee Wife" in 1874.
Johann Christian Bach
Johann Christian Bach was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He is sometimes referred to as 'the London Bach' or 'the English Bach', due to his time spent living in the British capital...
, and initially composing in the galante
Galante music
A new style of classical music, fashionable from the 1720s to the 1770s, was called Galante music. It consciously simplified contrapuntal texture and intense composing techniques that realized a pattern on the page and substituted a clear leading voice with a transparent accompaniment....
style, she composed keyboard sonata
Sonata
Sonata , in music, literally means a piece played as opposed to a cantata , a piece sung. The term, being vague, naturally evolved through the history of music, designating a variety of forms prior to the Classical era...
s, other keyboard works and vocal works with keyboard accompaniment. She was piano teacher to Princess Amelia
Princess Amelia of the United Kingdom
Princess Amelia of the United Kingdom was a member of the British Royal Family as the youngest daughter of King George III of the United Kingdom and his queen consort Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.-Early life:...
and Princess Charlotte of Wales.
Biography
Guest was born c. 1762, probably in Bath, Somerset, where her father Thomas Guest was a tailor. At Bath her teachers included Thomas Orpin and Thomas Linley, and she was giving performances there by the age of 6. From 1776 she was a pupil of J. C. Bach in London, and she was also taught by Antonio SacchiniAntonio Sacchini
Antonio Maria Gasparo Sacchini was an Italian opera composer.Sacchini was born in Florence, but was raised in Naples, where he received his musical education at the San Onofrio conservatory. He wrote his first operas in Naples, thereafter moving to Venice, then London and eventually Paris, where...
. She performed in London from 1779, giving subscription concerts there in 1783/84. She was known for her expressive style of playing. Around this time she published her Six Sonatas, Op. 1, which gained extensive subscriptions, including from royalty, and which were also published in Paris in 1784 and Berlin in 1785.
On 29 August 1789 she married Abram or Abraham Allen Miles, an accountant, in London. During the 1790s she taught and gave performances in Bath, including at concerts directed there by Venanzio Rauzzini
Venanzio Rauzzini
Venanzio Rauzzini was an Italian castrato, composer, pianist and singing teacher. As a boy he was a member of the Sistine Chapel Choir and was a pupil of Domenico Corri and Muzio Clementi. He also studied with Giuseppe Santarelli in Rome and Nicola Porpora in Naples.Rauzzini was born at Camerino...
, who was another of her teachers. She also wrote some unpublished concertos which do not seem to have survived.
In 1804 she became the piano tutor of Princess Amelia, the youngest daughter of George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
, and in 1806 to the Prince Regent
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
's daughter Princess Charlotte of Wales. However Amelia died in 1810 after years of illness, while all of Charlotte's staff were fired in 1814 by her father. Guest remained Charlotte's tutor at least until that time.
Her husband Abram died in 1832 and she died on 20 March 1846 in Blackheath, London
Blackheath, London
Blackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
, where she had been living with her daughter Louisa. She was buried with her husband at the church of St Edmund, King and Martyr. The popularity of some of her works continued, with republication of "The Fairies' Dance" in 1863 and "The Bonnie Wee Wife" in 1874.
Keyboard sonatas
- Six Sonatas, Op. 1 (?1783), with violin/flute accompaniment
- Sonata (1807), with violin accompaniment
Other keyboard works
- Introduction and March from Rossini's Ricciardo e ZoraideRicciardo e ZoraideRicciardo e Zoraide is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Francesco Berio de Salsa...
(?1820) - La Georgiana: Introduction and WaltzWaltz (music)A waltz, or valse from the French term, is a piece of music in triple meter, most often written in time signature but sometimes in 3/8 or 3/2...
(1826) - La jolie Julienne: PolaccaPolonaiseThe polonaise is a slow dance of Polish origin, in 3/4 time. Its name is French for "Polish."The polonaise had a rhythm quite close to that of the Swedish semiquaver or sixteenth-note polska, and the two dances have a common origin....
(1826) - La Jeanette: Introduction and Original Air (1828)
- DivertimentoDivertimentoDivertimento is a musical genre, with most of its examples from the 18th century. The mood of the divertimento is most often lighthearted and it is generally composed for a small ensemble....
(1829)
Vocal with keyboard accompaniment
- "Marion, or Will Ye Gang to the Burn Side" (?1820), balladBalladA ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
- "The Bonnie Wee Wife" (1823), ballad, text by Robert BurnsRobert BurnsRobert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
- "Brignal Banks" (1825), gleeGlee (music)A glee is an English type of part song spanning the late baroque, classical and early romantic periods. It is usually scored for at least three voices, and generally intended to be sung unaccompanied. Glees often consist of a number of short, musically contrasted movements and their texts can be...
, text by Walter ScottWalter ScottSir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time.... - "Jessica" (?1825), ballad
- "Come Buy My Garlands Gay" (1826), ballad
- "Di te non mi fido" (1827), duet
- "The Fairies' Dance" (1829), duet
- "Dalton Hall" (?1830), ballad
- "Fair One, Take This Rose" (?1830)
- "The Bonnie Lassie" (?1830), text by Robert Burns
- "Yes! I'll Gang to the Eure Bughts" (c. 1830)
- "The Field Daisy" (1842)