Thomas Roseingrave
Encyclopedia
Thomas Roseingrave was an Irish musician and organist
.
but spent his early years in Dublin, studying music with his father, Daniel Roseingrave
. In 1707 he entered Trinity College
but failed to complete his degree. In 1709 he was sent to Italy with the financial assistance of St Paul's Cathedral in order "to improve himself in the art of music". In Venice
he met Domenico Scarlatti
and was greatly impressed by his harpsichord
playing. He followed Scarlatti to Naples
and Rome
and, later in life, he published an edition of Scarlatti's sonatas for harpsichord which led to a "Scarlatti cult" in England.
Roseingrave composed several works in Italy including an anthem
and a cantata
. He probably returned to England in 1714. In 1720 he produced Scarlatti's opera
Amor d'un'ombra e Gelosia d'un'aura under the title Narciso at the Haymarket Theatre
, to which he added two aria
s and two duets of his own. He was appointed organist of St George's, Hanover Square, in 1725. He became known as an accomplished improviser
, especially of fugue
s. He had a great admiration for the music of Palestrina
and was highly skilled at contrapuntal
writing. According to Charles Burney
he could play the most difficult music by sight.
in 1766 and was buried in his family's grave in the churchyard of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
and Blow
. They are at times highly chromatic, reflecting the dissonant approach of English music such as Purcell's viol
fantasies. They show irregular phrasing and form, suggesting that they may have arisen from freely extemporised performances for which he had been so famous. He also wrote solos for flute
, and Italian cantata
s. His contemporaries often criticised him for his "harsh, ungrateful harmony
, and extravagant and licentious modulations". Most English composers in the 18th century had adopted the Italianate style in the Handel
ian manner, and the ears of English music lovers were becoming accustomed to the easier harmony and form of the galant
style. Thus Roseingrave's music would have appeared to many to be too intellectual and old-fashioned.
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...
.
Early years
He was born at WinchesterWinchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
but spent his early years in Dublin, studying music with his father, Daniel Roseingrave
Daniel Roseingrave
Daniel Roseingrave was an Irish organist and composer. He was organist at Gloucester Cathedral , Winchester Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral , Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin together with St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin in 1698-1719. He composed some church music including a verse anthem Lord,...
. In 1707 he entered Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
but failed to complete his degree. In 1709 he was sent to Italy with the financial assistance of St Paul's Cathedral in order "to improve himself in the art of music". In Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
he met Domenico Scarlatti
Domenico Scarlatti
Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti was an Italian composer who spent much of his life in the service of the Portuguese and Spanish royal families. He is classified as a Baroque composer chronologically, although his music was influential in the development of the Classical style...
and was greatly impressed by his harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
playing. He followed Scarlatti to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and, later in life, he published an edition of Scarlatti's sonatas for harpsichord which led to a "Scarlatti cult" in England.
Roseingrave composed several works in Italy including an anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
and a cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
. He probably returned to England in 1714. In 1720 he produced Scarlatti's 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...
Amor d'un'ombra e Gelosia d'un'aura under the title Narciso at the Haymarket 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...
, to which he added two aria
Aria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
s and two duets of his own. He was appointed organist of St George's, Hanover Square, in 1725. He became known as an accomplished improviser
Musical improvisation
Musical improvisation is the creative activity of immediate musical composition, which combines performance with communication of emotions and instrumental technique as well as spontaneous response to other musicians...
, especially of fugue
Fugue
In music, a fugue is a compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject that is introduced at the beginning in imitation and recurs frequently in the course of the composition....
s. He had a great admiration for the music of Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition...
and was highly skilled at contrapuntal
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
writing. According to Charles Burney
Charles Burney
Charles Burney FRS was an English music historian and father of authors Frances Burney and Sarah Burney.-Life and career:...
he could play the most difficult music by sight.
Later years
In the 1730s he was at the height of his technique and skill. However, his successful career came to an end when he was denied permission to marry a young lady with whom he had become infatuated. Her father would not allow her to marry a musician. The disappointment affected Roseingrave psychologically; his behaviour reportedly became irrational at times, and he neglected his duties. Eventually he retired to Dublin. He died at Dún LaoghaireDún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
in 1766 and was buried in his family's grave in the churchyard of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
Evaluation
Roseingrave's best compositions are his keyboard works which show surprisingly little influence of continental composers. His harpsichord works occasionally reflect the influence of Scarlatti, but the organ works are closer to the English style of PurcellHenry Purcell
Henry Purcell – 21 November 1695), was an English organist and Baroque composer of secular and sacred music. Although Purcell incorporated Italian and French stylistic elements into his compositions, his legacy was a uniquely English form of Baroque music...
and Blow
John Blow
John Blow was an English Baroque composer and organist, appointed to Westminster Abbey in 1669. His pupils included William Croft, Jeremiah Clarke and Henry Purcell. In 1685 he was named a private musician to James II. His only stage composition, Venus and Adonis John Blow (baptised 23 February...
. They are at times highly chromatic, reflecting the dissonant approach of English music such as Purcell's viol
Viol
The viol is any one of a family of bowed, fretted and stringed musical instruments developed in the mid-late 15th century and used primarily in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The family is related to and descends primarily from the Renaissance vihuela, a plucked instrument that preceded the...
fantasies. They show irregular phrasing and form, suggesting that they may have arisen from freely extemporised performances for which he had been so famous. He also wrote solos for 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...
, and Italian cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
s. His contemporaries often criticised him for his "harsh, ungrateful harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
, and extravagant and licentious modulations". Most English composers in the 18th century had adopted the Italianate style in the Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
ian manner, and the ears of English music lovers were becoming accustomed to the easier harmony and form of the galant
Galant
In music, Galant was a term referring to a style, principally occurring in the third quarter of the 18th century, which featured a return to classical simplicity after the complexity of the late Baroque era...
style. Thus Roseingrave's music would have appeared to many to be too intellectual and old-fashioned.
See also
- Daniel RoseingraveDaniel RoseingraveDaniel Roseingrave was an Irish organist and composer. He was organist at Gloucester Cathedral , Winchester Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral , Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin together with St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin in 1698-1719. He composed some church music including a verse anthem Lord,...
, c. 1655-1727. - Ralph Roseingrave, c. 1695-1747.
- Tomás RoseingraveTomás Roseingrave-Biography:Roseingrave was born at Gort, County Galway, to Thomas Roseingrave and Nora McMahon, in 1918. He was educated at the O'Brien Institute, Dublin, between 1928 and 1934, later working for the Dublin Port and Milling Company, and later still for Ceimici Teoranta, in 1965.He earned a...
(1918-1993), social scientist. - Siobhan Roseingrave (fl. 2011), election candidate.