THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC

Evening Star, Issue 20982, 22 December 1931, Page 15

THOUGHTS ABOUT MUSIC

[By L.D.A.]

“ Music gives tone to the universe, wings to the wind, flight to tho imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything.”—Plato.

There is an entry in Evelyn’s diary for December, 1682, which is of interest to musicians. It runs: “After supper we had a visitor in the person of Mr Abell, the famous treble, newly returned from Italy. 1 never heard a more excellent voice, and would have sworn it had been a woman’s, it was so high and so well and skilfully managed, being accompanied by Signor. Frisco on the harpsichord.” As a matter of fact, John Abell, to whom this entry refers, possessed an alto voice of very extraordinary quality —in all probability there has never been heard another like it. Abell was born in London, and, his voice developing at an early age, ho was placed in the choir of the Chapel lloyal, where he soon attracted the notice of Charles Ji., by whom ho was sent to Italy to study. « * * •

Shortly after his return he married, secretly, the sister of tho Earl of Banbury, who, we are told, when ho learned of ft, “ threw her out of tho house and Abell- got into more trouble by espousing the Homan Church, on which account he found himself without lloyal patronage. Unable to earn a living m England, for some years he led a vagrant sort of life abroad, travelling through France, Germany, Holland, and Poland, depending for his support entirely upon his voice and lute, which instrument he played to perfection. Some strange stories were told of these wanderings, but surely none stranger than tho following When at Warsaw on one occasion he received a command to sing before the Court, but, having by this time acquired a somewhat exaggerated idea of his own importance, ho elected to refuse tho summons. » * * * The King of Poland in those days was a monarch whose behests were not lightly to be disregarded. His reply to Abell’s refusal took the shape of sending a squad of soldiers, who seized the vocalist and bound him hand and foot in a chair, which was then suspended over ]fu*gc pit containing scvoial wild bears. The next procedure was an alternative proposal submitted to Abell that he should there and then sing to the King and Court, who were seated in a specially-erected pavilion opposite, or be lowered to the bears; and it is said that, 'even on the horns of such a perilous dilemma, Abell was in no hurry to oblige his imperious audience, but he made a pretence of preferring to oblige the animals, and onlv at the last extremity did lie comply” with the King’s demands.

Congreve has an allusion to this eccentric singer. Writing to a friend on December 10, 1700, he says: "Abell is here. He has a cold at present, and he is just as whimsical as ever, so that whether he will sing or will not sing is a matter very disputable; but it is well worth the waiting for, because he certainly sings beyond all creatures upon earth, and that_ is my profound conviction after hearing most other singers, both hero and abroad.” ' So it seems very clear that Abell must take rank as one of the foremost vocalists in musical history. His final appearance, was in 1716, when sixty-six years old, at a concert in Stationers Hall. » * * * Two years ago in this column I wrote on the subject of Christmas carols, the singing of which seems now to be almost as extinct as tho moa. It is, perhaps, not generally known that the tune so well known under the name of ‘Good King Wenceslas,’ and sung to very rubbishy words, was originally a medieval song which appeared in a collection of ditties, published by a Dutcii printer, as far back as 1582, entitled ! Pirn Cantioncs.’ The tune itself may be a thousand years old for all we know, and kbere is certainly no doubt that some of these ancient melodies were snug round about' the time of Alfred and the burnt cakes episode.

One of the most interesting anniversaries of this month, though I have seen no allusion to it thus far, is that of Covent Garden Theatre, the worldrenowned British operatic centre, the bi-centenary of which will be celebrated in December of next year. First opened on December 7, 1732. Covent Garden has had a long and chequered history. It was burnt, down on September 19, 1808; rebuilt and reopened exactly a year later; reconstructed in 1847, only again to suffer destruction by fire on March 5, 1856, from which the present palatial building arose, phoenixhke, on May 15, 1858. How customs have changed since the early days may be gleaned from a programme announcement, dated March 11, 1734, to the effect that “No servants will bo permitted to keep places on the stage.” In this same year Handel opened his first season with ‘JI Pastor Fido,’ which ho had previously produced, but unsuccessfully, many years earlier, at another theatre. Subsequently several of his latex: operas and oratorios were performed at Covent Garden. The most outstaixding success for a hundred years in this playhouse’s history, however, was reserved for Weber’s ‘ Der Freischutz,’ first produced in 1824. So great, indeed, was the popular acclamation that it was found necessary to duplicate the production at Drury Lane. In modern days wo have had instances', of a successful film being shown simultaneously in two adjacexxt cinemas, but I believe it is cori'ect to state that the English performance of ‘Dor Freischutz ’ offers the solo theatrical parallel.

Since 184. G Covent Garden lias been devoted exclusively to operatic productions, and its record is associated with vsome of the most famous names in this branch of musical art. Grisi and Mario sang there, whilst in it Adelina Patti made her debut in 1861. Apart from appearances of eminent singers, Covent Garden has the reputation of having bankrupted more impressarios than any other theatre. Among the sufferers who offered up their fortunes on the altar of operatic enterprise may be mentioned Delafield, Gye, Jullien, Harrison, and others; and it was not until Sir Augustus Harris took it in hand in 1888 that Covont Garden enjoyed an unbroken run of prosperity, lasting twelve years. During this regime was given Wagner’s ‘King des Nibelungcn \ for the first time in England—i.c., in .Tunc, 1892. Until the Great War broke out the traditions established by Harris wore maintained with varying fortunes, but since 1919 the old era of vicissitude has made itself felt, to the undoing of such enterprises as the Carl Rosa and Rrit- ' ish National Opera Companies—not to mention the had luck that has persistently dogged the footsteps of Sir Thomas Rcecham. However, grand opera has more lives than the proverbial oat, and nothing seems able to ciucnch the ardour _of its devotees. Covcufc Garden promises to survive all jibe buffetings of fate.