Robert Woodcock
Encyclopedia
Robert Woodcock was an English marine painter, musician, and composer who lived during the Baroque
period. He is notable for having published the earliest known flute
concertos, and the earliest known English oboe
concertos.
Robert Woodcock (bap. October 9, 1690 – died April 10, 1728) was an English marine painter, musician, and composer who lived during the Baroque
period. He is notable for having published the earliest known flute
concertos, and the earliest known English oboe
concertos.Lasocki, David. "Robert Woodcock. Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press, 2007-2011. Web. Viewed Feb. 1, 2011.
Robert Woodcock (bap. October 9, 1690 – died April 10, 1728) was an English marine painter, musician, and composer who lived during the Baroque
period. He is notable for having published the earliest known flute
concertos, and the earliest known English oboe
concertos.Lasocki, David. "Robert Woodcock. Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press, 2007-2011. Web. Viewed Feb. 1, 2011.Lasocki, David, and Helen Neate. "The life and works of Robert Woodcock, 1690-1728." American Recorder 29.3 (1988): 92-104.
, where his parents ran a girls school. His family was fairly affluent, and his father was described as a gentleman, indicating good social position.Thompson, Wendy. "Woodcock, Robert." The New Oxford Companion to Music. Ed. Denis Arnold. Vol. 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1983.
In 1714, Robert junior married Ayliffe Stoaks, by whom he had several children. According to a contemporaneous biographical account, he worked as a civil servant, holding a "place or clerkship in the Government." Vertue, G. "The Note-Books of George Vertue Relating to Artists and Collections in England." Walpole Society 22 (1933-34): 23-24. He resigned his government post around 1723 in order to become a professional artist. Later in life he suffered acutely from gout, which eventually was the cause of his death, at the age of 38, on April 10, 1728. He is buried at Chelsea Old Church.
, whose works he assiduously copied. He was also an accomplished musician and composer, performing on the oboe
, recorder
, and flute
. He was perhaps most skilled on the flute, as in 1776, nearly 50 years after his death, he was described by John Hawkins
as "a famous performer on the flute."Hawkins, John. A General History of the Science and Practice of Music. Ed. Charles Cudworth. Vol. 2. 1776. New York: Dover, 1963. 608, 826.
The engraver George Vertue
, writing in 1725, called Woodcock "An ingenious gentleman lover of the arts of painting and music, and professor." Vertue goes on to describe Woodcock's musical talents, writing:
Vertue's account tells us that Woodcock was a well-respected performer and composer, and his description of Woodcock as a "professor" also seems to indicate that he taught - but whether painting or music it is impossible to say. Vertue also gives us a valuable indication as to what Woodcock may have looked like, describing him as "a man of genteel mien, well shape and good features."
The concertos were originally published under the title: XII Concertos in Eight Parts, the first three for VIOLINS and one small FLUTE, the second three for VIOLINS and two small FLUTES, the third three for VIOLINS & one GERMAN FLUTE, and the three last for VIOLINS & one HOBOY. The proper Flute being nam'd to each Concerto.Macmillan, Douglas. "A New Concerto, Compos'd by Mr. Woodcock." Recorder & Music 8.6 (1985): 180-181.
The three flute concertos in this set are the earliest known published for that instrument, and the three oboe concertos are the first known by an English composer. Vivaldi published his opus 10 flute concertos shortly thereafter, in c.1728, and the earliest oboe concertos were published by the Italian composer [Albinoni]] in 1715.
The earliest known mention of these works dates from 1722, when a theater advertisement announced that "a new concerto, compos'ed by Mr. Woodcock" would be performed by recorder player John Baston on March 14th of that year. Burney, Charles. A General History of Music from the Earliest Ages to the Present Period. Ed. Frank Mercer. 1776. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1935. 996. This performance is noteworthy in that it shows that at least one of the recorder concertos was written earlier than the publication date. There is other evidence of performances of Woodcock's concerti from the 1720s through the 1750s, suggesting that his works quickly became part of the standard woodwind repertoire in England at that time.
There has been some controversy as to whether or not Woodcock actually wrote these twelve concertos, however. In 1954 Brian Priestman
ascribed them to Jean-Baptiste Loeillet of London
, and when some of the concertos were published in 1935, they were attributed to George Frideric Handel
. More recent scholarship, however, supports the authorship of Robert Woodcock.
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
period. He is notable for having published the earliest known flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
concertos, and the earliest known English oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
concertos.
Robert Woodcock (bap. October 9, 1690 – died April 10, 1728) was an English marine painter, musician, and composer who lived during the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
period. He is notable for having published the earliest known flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
concertos, and the earliest known English oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
concertos.Lasocki, David. "Robert Woodcock. Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press, 2007-2011. Web. Viewed Feb. 1, 2011.
Robert Woodcock (bap. October 9, 1690 – died April 10, 1728) was an English marine painter, musician, and composer who lived during the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
period. He is notable for having published the earliest known flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
concertos, and the earliest known English oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
concertos.Lasocki, David. "Robert Woodcock. Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press, 2007-2011. Web. Viewed Feb. 1, 2011.Lasocki, David, and Helen Neate. "The life and works of Robert Woodcock, 1690-1728." American Recorder 29.3 (1988): 92-104.
Life
Robert Woodcock was baptized at Chelsea Old Church on October 9, 1690, the son of Robert Woodcock (1642–1710) and Deborah Littleton. He grew up in Shrewsbury House, Chelsea, LondonChelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, where his parents ran a girls school. His family was fairly affluent, and his father was described as a gentleman, indicating good social position.Thompson, Wendy. "Woodcock, Robert." The New Oxford Companion to Music. Ed. Denis Arnold. Vol. 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1983.
In 1714, Robert junior married Ayliffe Stoaks, by whom he had several children. According to a contemporaneous biographical account, he worked as a civil servant, holding a "place or clerkship in the Government." Vertue, G. "The Note-Books of George Vertue Relating to Artists and Collections in England." Walpole Society 22 (1933-34): 23-24. He resigned his government post around 1723 in order to become a professional artist. Later in life he suffered acutely from gout, which eventually was the cause of his death, at the age of 38, on April 10, 1728. He is buried at Chelsea Old Church.
Artistic and musical career
Woodcock was a marine painter, specializing in the painting of ships at sea. His style was strongly influenced by the Dutch painter Willem van de Velde the YoungerWillem van de Velde the Younger
Willem van de Velde the Younger was a Dutch marine painter.-Biography:Willem van de Velde was baptised on 18 December 1633 in Leiden, Holland, Dutch Republic....
, whose works he assiduously copied. He was also an accomplished musician and composer, performing on the oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
, recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
, and flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
. He was perhaps most skilled on the flute, as in 1776, nearly 50 years after his death, he was described by John Hawkins
John Hawkins
Admiral Sir John Hawkins was an English shipbuilder, naval administrator and commander, merchant, navigator, and slave trader. As treasurer and controller of the Royal Navy, he rebuilt older ships and helped design the faster ships that withstood the Spanish Armada in 1588...
as "a famous performer on the flute."Hawkins, John. A General History of the Science and Practice of Music. Ed. Charles Cudworth. Vol. 2. 1776. New York: Dover, 1963. 608, 826.
The engraver George Vertue
George Vertue
George Vertue was an English engraver and antiquary, whose notebooks on British art of the first half of the 18th century are a valuable source for the period.-Life:...
, writing in 1725, called Woodcock "An ingenious gentleman lover of the arts of painting and music, and professor." Vertue goes on to describe Woodcock's musical talents, writing:
"He was very skillful in music, had judgement and performed on the hautboy in a masterly manner, there being many pieces, some published, and much approved by skillful masters in that science."
Vertue's account tells us that Woodcock was a well-respected performer and composer, and his description of Woodcock as a "professor" also seems to indicate that he taught - but whether painting or music it is impossible to say. Vertue also gives us a valuable indication as to what Woodcock may have looked like, describing him as "a man of genteel mien, well shape and good features."
Concertos
Woodcock's only surviving compositions are a set of twelve concertos (3 for flute, 3 for recorder, and 3 for oboe) published by Walsh and Hare in London circa 1727.The concertos were originally published under the title: XII Concertos in Eight Parts, the first three for VIOLINS and one small FLUTE, the second three for VIOLINS and two small FLUTES, the third three for VIOLINS & one GERMAN FLUTE, and the three last for VIOLINS & one HOBOY. The proper Flute being nam'd to each Concerto.Macmillan, Douglas. "A New Concerto, Compos'd by Mr. Woodcock." Recorder & Music 8.6 (1985): 180-181.
The three flute concertos in this set are the earliest known published for that instrument, and the three oboe concertos are the first known by an English composer. Vivaldi published his opus 10 flute concertos shortly thereafter, in c.1728, and the earliest oboe concertos were published by the Italian composer [Albinoni]] in 1715.
The earliest known mention of these works dates from 1722, when a theater advertisement announced that "a new concerto, compos'ed by Mr. Woodcock" would be performed by recorder player John Baston on March 14th of that year. Burney, Charles. A General History of Music from the Earliest Ages to the Present Period. Ed. Frank Mercer. 1776. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1935. 996. This performance is noteworthy in that it shows that at least one of the recorder concertos was written earlier than the publication date. There is other evidence of performances of Woodcock's concerti from the 1720s through the 1750s, suggesting that his works quickly became part of the standard woodwind repertoire in England at that time.
There has been some controversy as to whether or not Woodcock actually wrote these twelve concertos, however. In 1954 Brian Priestman
Brian Priestman
Brian Priestman is a British conductor and music educator.Priestman studied at the University of Birmingham and the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles, Belgium....
ascribed them to Jean-Baptiste Loeillet of London
Jean-Baptiste Loeillet of London
Jean-Baptiste Loeillet of London , was a Flemish baroque composer as well as a performer on the recorder, flute, oboe, and harpsichord...
, and when some of the concertos were published in 1935, they were attributed to 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...
. More recent scholarship, however, supports the authorship of Robert Woodcock.
Instrumentation:
- Concerto no. 1 in E major: sixth flute, violins I and II, basso continuo
- Concerto no. 2 in A major: sixth flute, violins I and II, basso continuo
- Concerto no. 3 in D major: sixth flute, violins I and II, basso continuo
- Concerto no. 4 in b minor: 2 sixth flutes, violins I and II, basso continuo
- Concerto no. 5 in D major: 2 sixth flutes, violins I and II, viola, basso continuo
- Concerto no. 6 in D major: 2 sixth flutes, violins I and II, basso continuo
- Concerto no. 7 in b minor: transverse flute, violins I and II, basso continuo
- Concerto no. 8 in D major: transverse flute, violins I and II, basso continuo
- Concerto no. 9 in e minor: transverse flute, violins I and II, basso continuo
- Concerto no. 10 in e minor: oboe, violins I and II, viola, basso continuo
- Concerto no. 11 in c minor: oboe, violins I and II, viola, basso continuo
- Concerto no. 12 in Eb major: oboe, violins I and II, basso continuo