William Knyvett
Encyclopedia
William Knyvett was a British
singer and composer
of the 19th century.
, and educated by his father, by Samuel Webbe
, the glee
composer, and by Signor Cimador.
In 1788 he sang in the treble chorus at the Concerts of Antient Music, and in 1795 appeared there as the principal alto
. In 1797 he was appointed one of the gentlemen of the Chapel Royal
, and soon after a lay vicar of Westminster Abbey
. He succeeded Dr. Samuel Arnold
in 1802 as one of the composers of the Chapel Royal. In singing he took the alto or contra-tenor
parts, invariably employing his falsetto
, though nature had supplied him with a deep bass. He attached himself to the Harrison and Bartleman school, and became the third of a fashionable vocal triumvirate. For upwards of forty years he sang at the best London concerts and at the provincial festivals. Callcott's
glee, ‘With sighs, sweet Rose’, was composed expressly for him. In 1832, on the death of Thomas Greatorex
, he became conductor of the Concerts of Antient Music, an office which he resigned in 1840. He was the conductor of the Birmingham festivals
from 1834 to 1843, and of the York festival of 1835. With the exception of Sir George Smart
, he was the last of the musical leaders who inherited the Handel
traditions as to the method of conducting an oratorio.
He produced vocal works that were very popular, many of which will be remembered for their sweet melody and good harmony. Among them were ‘There is a flower’, ‘My love is like the red, red rose’, 1803; ‘The Bells of St. Michael's Tower’, 1810; ‘The Boatie Rows’, 1810; ‘The Midges' Dance’, and ‘As it fell upon a day’, 1812. He also wrote ‘When the fair rose’, a glee for which he gained a prize at the Harmonic Society in 1800, presented to him by his steady patron, the Prince of Wales
. Upwards of thirty-five of his compositions were printed. His unpublished works include the grand anthem, ‘The King shall rejoice’, produced officially for the coronation of George IV, and ‘This is the day the Lord has made’, written for the coronation of Queen Victoria
.
Knyvett impoverished himself by unsuccessful speculations. He died at Clarges House, Ryde
, Isle of Wight
, November 17, 1856. His second wife, whom he married in 1826, was Miss Deborah Travis of Shaw
, near Oldham
. She was celebrated in her day for her knowledge of Handel's music and her superior mode of delivering it. She sang at the Concerts of Antient Music in 1813 and at the principal London concerts from 1815 to 1843. She died on February 10, 1876.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
singer and 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...
of the 19th century.
Biography
Knyvett, third son of Charles Knyvett (1752–1822), musician, was born on 21 April 1779, most probably in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and educated by his father, by Samuel Webbe
Samuel Webbe
Samuel Webbe was an English composer.Born in Minorca in 1740, Webbe was brought up in London. His father died when he was still a baby and his mother returned to London where she raised Webbe in difficult circumstances. At the age of eleven he was apprenticed to a cabinet maker, and during the...
, the glee
Glee (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...
composer, and by Signor Cimador.
In 1788 he sang in the treble chorus at the Concerts of Antient Music, and in 1795 appeared there as the principal alto
Alto
Alto is a musical term, derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" in Italian, that has several possible interpretations.When designating instruments, "alto" frequently refers to a member of an instrumental family that has the second highest range, below that of the treble or soprano. Hence,...
. In 1797 he was appointed one of the gentlemen of the Chapel Royal
Chapel Royal
A Chapel Royal is a body of priests and singers who serve the spiritual needs of their sovereign wherever they are called upon to do so.-Austria:...
, and soon after a lay vicar of Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. He succeeded Dr. Samuel Arnold
Samuel Arnold (composer)
Samuel Arnold was an English composer and organist.Arnold was born in London , and began writing music for the theatre in about 1764. A few years later he became director of music at the Marylebone Gardens, for which much of his popular music was written...
in 1802 as one of the composers of the Chapel Royal. In singing he took the alto or contra-tenor
Countertenor
A countertenor is a male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of a contralto, mezzo-soprano, or a soprano, usually through use of falsetto, or far more rarely than normal, modal voice. A pre-pubescent male who has this ability is called a treble...
parts, invariably employing his falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
, though nature had supplied him with a deep bass. He attached himself to the Harrison and Bartleman school, and became the third of a fashionable vocal triumvirate. For upwards of forty years he sang at the best London concerts and at the provincial festivals. Callcott's
John Wall Callcott
John Wall Callcott was an eminent English musical composer.Callcott was born in Kensington, London. He was a pupil of Haydn, and is celebrated mainly for his glee compositions and "catches". In the best known of his catches he ridiculed Sir John Hawkins' History of Music...
glee, ‘With sighs, sweet Rose’, was composed expressly for him. In 1832, on the death of Thomas Greatorex
Thomas Greatorex
Thomas Greatorex was an English composer, astronomer and mathematician. As well as being organist of Westminster Abbey, he was a Fellow of the Royal Society.-Career:...
, he became conductor of the Concerts of Antient Music, an office which he resigned in 1840. He was the conductor of the Birmingham festivals
Birmingham Triennial Music Festival
The Birmingham Triennial Musical Festival, in Birmingham, England, founded in 1784, was the longest-running classical music festival of its kind. Its last performance was in 1912.-History:...
from 1834 to 1843, and of the York festival of 1835. With the exception of Sir George Smart
George Thomas Smart
Sir George Thomas Smart was an English musician.Smart was born in London, his father being a music-seller. He was a choir-boy at the Chapel Royal, and was educated in music, becoming an expert violinist, organist, teacher of singing and conductor...
, he was the last of the musical leaders who inherited the 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...
traditions as to the method of conducting an oratorio.
He produced vocal works that were very popular, many of which will be remembered for their sweet melody and good harmony. Among them were ‘There is a flower’, ‘My love is like the red, red rose’, 1803; ‘The Bells of St. Michael's Tower’, 1810; ‘The Boatie Rows’, 1810; ‘The Midges' Dance’, and ‘As it fell upon a day’, 1812. He also wrote ‘When the fair rose’, a glee for which he gained a prize at the Harmonic Society in 1800, presented to him by his steady patron, the Prince of Wales
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...
. Upwards of thirty-five of his compositions were printed. His unpublished works include the grand anthem, ‘The King shall rejoice’, produced officially for the coronation of George IV, and ‘This is the day the Lord has made’, written for the coronation of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
.
Knyvett impoverished himself by unsuccessful speculations. He died at Clarges House, Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
, Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, November 17, 1856. His second wife, whom he married in 1826, was Miss Deborah Travis of Shaw
Shaw and Crompton
Shaw and Crompton is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Beal at the foothills of the South Pennines, north of Oldham, southeast of Rochdale, and to the northeast of the city of Manchester...
, near Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
. She was celebrated in her day for her knowledge of Handel's music and her superior mode of delivering it. She sang at the Concerts of Antient Music in 1813 and at the principal London concerts from 1815 to 1843. She died on February 10, 1876.