William Savage
Encyclopedia
William Savage was an English
composer
, organist
, and singer of the 18th century. He sang as a boy treble
and alto
, a countertenor
, and as a bass. He is best remembered for his association with the composer George Frideric Handel
, whose oratorio
s Savage sung in.
during the composer's Covent Garden season. The role of Oberto in Alcina was composed with his voice particularly in mind. Next season he sang the small roles of La Fortuna in Giustino
and Childerico in Faramondo
, after which his voice broke.
In the following years he performed as both a countertenor - a male alto, singing in falsetto
- and as a bass. He sang the bass roles of Fenice in Deidamia
and the title role in Imeneo
in Handel's last opera season of 1740. In 1741 he took the countertenor role of Jonathan in a revival of Handel's Saul
, and had earlier in 1739 sung as a countertenor at the first performance of Israel in Egypt. In 1743 he sung the bass role of Manoa at the premiere of Samson
. 18th-century musicologist Charles Burney
described his voice as a "powerful and not unpleasant bass". The description of his pupil R.J.S Stevens is more complimentary: he describes Savage as possessing "a pleasant voice of two octaves", and details that Savage sang with "clear articulation, perfect intonation, great volubility of voice, and chaste and good expression".
From 1743 onwards Savage held the post of "Organist of Finchley", though exactly what this entailed is unclear. He became a Gentleman-in-ordinary of the Chapel Royal
in 1744 and in 1748 became vicar-choral and Master of the Choristers at St Paul’s Cathedral, where he influenced many of the following generation of high-class musicians. In 1777 he retired to Kent
. He returned to London in 1780 in order to teach music but was not as successful as in previous years.
Some music in Savage's collection was given to the Royal Academy of Music
upon the death of his student, R. J. S. Stevens, in 1837, for example Gloria
, a composition identified as Handel's work only in 2001.
. He also composed music for solo violin
and various canons
, catches
and rounds, composed for the Noblemen and Gentlemen’s Catch Club, of which Savage was a member. A more idiosyncratic piece was his "On the very first of May", set to nonsense poetry written by his wife.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
, 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 singer of the 18th century. He sang as a boy treble
Boy soprano
A boy soprano is a young male singer with an unchanged voice in the soprano range. Although a treble, or choirboy, may also be considered to be a boy soprano, the more colloquial term boy soprano is generally only used for boys who sing, perform, or record as soloists, and who may not necessarily...
and 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,...
, a countertenor
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...
, and as a bass. He is best remembered for his association with the composer 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...
, whose 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...
s Savage sung in.
Singer
Savage first came to prominence as a boy treble in 1735, singing in a revival of Handel's Athalia and in AlcinaAlcina
Alcina is an opera seria by George Frideric Handel. Handel used the libretto of L'isola di Alcina, an opera that was set in 1728 in Rome by Riccardo Broschi, which he acquired the year after, during his travels in Italy...
during the composer's Covent Garden season. The role of Oberto in Alcina was composed with his voice particularly in mind. Next season he sang the small roles of La Fortuna in Giustino
Giustino
Giustino is an opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian-language libretto was adapted from Pietro Pariati's Giustino, after Nicolo Beregan's Il Giustino.-Performance history:...
and Childerico in Faramondo
Faramondo
Faramondo is an opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel to an Italian text adapted from Apostolo Zeno's Faramondo.-Performance history:...
, after which his voice broke.
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...
- and as a bass. He sang the bass roles of Fenice in Deidamia
Deidamia (opera)
Deidamia was George Frideric Handel's last Italian opera. The Italian text was by Paolo Antonio Rolli.-Performance history:The opera was first performed on 10 January 1741 at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre, London. The opera received only three performances, at a time when the public was becoming...
and the title role in Imeneo
Imeneo
Imeneo is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian-language libretto was adapted from Silvio Stampiglia's Imeneo. Handel had begun composition in September 1738, but did not complete the score until 1740...
in Handel's last opera season of 1740. In 1741 he took the countertenor role of Jonathan in a revival of Handel's Saul
Saul (Handel)
Saul is an oratorio in three acts written by George Frideric Handel with a libretto by Charles Jennens. Taken from the 1st Book of Samuel, the story of Saul focuses on the first king of Israel’s relationship with his eventual successor, David; one which turns from admiration to envy and hatred,...
, and had earlier in 1739 sung as a countertenor at the first performance of Israel in Egypt. In 1743 he sung the bass role of Manoa at the premiere of Samson
Samson (oratorio)
Samson is a three-act oratorio by George Frideric Handel, considered one of his finest dramatic works. It is usually performed as an oratorio in concert form, but on occasions has also been staged as an opera...
. 18th-century musicologist Charles Burney
Charles Burney
Charles Burney FRS was an English music historian and father of authors Frances Burney and Sarah Burney.-Life and career:...
described his voice as a "powerful and not unpleasant bass". The description of his pupil R.J.S Stevens is more complimentary: he describes Savage as possessing "a pleasant voice of two octaves", and details that Savage sang with "clear articulation, perfect intonation, great volubility of voice, and chaste and good expression".
From 1743 onwards Savage held the post of "Organist of Finchley", though exactly what this entailed is unclear. He became a Gentleman-in-ordinary 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:...
in 1744 and in 1748 became vicar-choral and Master of the Choristers at St Paul’s Cathedral, where he influenced many of the following generation of high-class musicians. In 1777 he retired to Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. He returned to London in 1780 in order to teach music but was not as successful as in previous years.
Some music in Savage's collection was given to the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
upon the death of his student, R. J. S. Stevens, in 1837, for example Gloria
Gloria (Handel)
George Frideric Handel's Gloria is a sacred solo cantata, a setting of the Gloria, the liturgical part of the Mass, for soprano and strings. Handel may have composed it in Germany before departing for Italy in 1706...
, a composition identified as Handel's work only in 2001.
Composer
Savage was also a moderately prolific composer. He composed many anthems and other church music. His anthem "O Lord my God" is his most ambitious work and is written for accompaniment by string orchestraString orchestra
A string orchestra is an orchestra composed solely or primarily of instruments from the string family. These instruments are the violin, the viola, the cello, the double bass , the piano, the harp, and sometimes percussion...
. He also composed music for solo violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and various canons
Canon (music)
In music, a canon is a contrapuntal composition that employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration . The initial melody is called the leader , while the imitative melody, which is played in a different voice, is called the follower...
, catches
Catch (music)
In music, a catch or trick canon is a type of round - a musical composition in which two or more voices repeatedly sing the same melody or sometimes slightly different melodies, beginning at different times. In a catch, the lines of lyrics interact so that a word or phrase is produced that does...
and rounds, composed for the Noblemen and Gentlemen’s Catch Club, of which Savage was a member. A more idiosyncratic piece was his "On the very first of May", set to nonsense poetry written by his wife.