139 WILLIAM BOYCE, MUS. Doc. WILLIAM BOYCE, Doctor in Music, and one of the most conspicuous ornaments of the harmonic school of England, was born in London, on the 7th of April, 1710. His father was Keeper of the Joiners' Hall, in Upper Thames Street, and in that house the young musician first saw light. The father's interest with the members of the Joiners' Company, procured for the son the corporate honours of an education at St. Paul's school, at about the same period that an excellent voice introduced him among the choristers of the Cathedral, where he received the first instructions connected with his future profession from Charles King, the Bachelor in Music. Losing his soprano voice at the usual age, he was apprenticed to Dr. Greene, a man in every respect well worthy of such a pupil, although almost all the writers of Boyce's life have been careful to say, that this master was extremely jealous of his commanding abilities. Such a statement was a most ungenerous contradiction of facts, for almost in the same breath, it was necessary to record a signal proof of the most opposite feelings; inasmuch as at his death, Greene bequeathed all his manuscripts to his scholar, and particularly entrusted to him the scores for that fine edition of anthems which he had been long preparing, and which now constitutes the proudest monument of the fame and talents of Dr. Boyce. The truth is, that the imputation was thrown out without the addition of any proofs, and is now only repeated here to be refuted. Sufficient authority exists for the more honourable assertion, that Greene entertained a cordial affection for his pupil, and that the pupil returned the distinction with the most sincere feelings of respect. Indeed, Boyce appears to have been gifted with an amiable temper and gentle habits, such as no Christian could observe without regard. During his celibacy, he lived with his father under circumstances of exemplary tenderness, combining all the virtues of filial piety with the more equal endearments of private friendship, and was distinguished throughout life for every sociable amenity. Before the expiration of his apprenticeship, Boyce had the misfortune to have his hearing fail him, and the defect was soon aggravated into a state of total deafness. This accident in ordinary students, would have damped 'every aspiration of success, but in him it only created new ardour for his profession. The privation of that sense by which all musical impressions must be originally received, would appear fatal to the attainment of any excellence in the art but in his case the eye was taught to act the part of the ear; and such was the powerful effect of habit, and the victorious force of genius, that he made the study purely intellectual. Henceforward he obtained those ideas upon principle which others derive from sound; and had the ability to convert the acquisition to the noblest profit. Euler, the celebrated mathematician, was blind, and many of the ancient bards were also deprived of sight from the cradle; but there is no second instance preserved of a man, who usurped a perfect possession of an audible theory, while labouring under a thorough absence of every auditory sensation. Such were the circumstances under which in 1734, Boyce became one of five competitors for the post of organist at St. Michael's Church, Cornhill. He lost the election, but succeeded during the same year in gaining a similar place at the King's Chapel, in Oxford, where he continued to preside until Kelway, who had been preferred to him at St. Michael's, removed to the church of St. Martin in the Fields, and he was voted into the vacant seat without difficulty. This, too, was the period at which he set David's Lamentation over Saul and Jonathan,' for the Apollo Society, and was appointed composer to the Chapel Royal. It was in the year 1743, that Boyce produced his 'Serenata of Solomon,' a classical composition, remarkable for original expression and polished sweetness. It was long and deservedly rehearsed with applause, and can only now be heard with delight by every friend of English music. His next publication consisted of Twelve Sonatas or Trios, for two violins and a bass, which were caught up with an avidity, and held popular to an extent, une equalled in this country by any similar performances, those of Corelli alone excepted. Although only designed for chamber music, yet they occupied a constant place at public concerts, were introduced to the theatres, played at all the public gardens, and retained in the highest favour for many years. The success of these sonatas led to a requisition for the exercise of his talents in a very different style; and he was invited to compose the music for The Chaplet,' a drama by Mendez, which was performed with general satisfaction at the theatre in Drury Lane, and ranked as a stock piece for seasons after. This entertainment was soon followed by the Shepherd's Lottery,' a dramatic pastoral, the music by Boyce, and applauded like the former, as containing some of the sweetest and most characteristic melodies by which the opera of the English stage has been distinguished. Exertions such as these, and the composition of occasional songs for Vauxhall and Ranelagh, circulated his reputation throughout the country: he enjoyed the first rank in his profession, and was honoured with all the preferment by which superiority can be rewarded. In 1749, the Duke of Newcastle, then prime minister of England, was installed Chancellor of the Universisy of Cambridge : Mason wrote an ode to celebrate the festivity, and Boyce was required to set it to music. His Grace, who enjoyed the compliment of being reputed Boyce's patron, upon grounds which have never been stated, now employed his influence to reward the performance by a degree of Doctor in Music. The dignity was promptly conferred; and promotions of greater value took place as occasions offered. In 1757, at the recommendation of the Duke of Devonshire, he was nominated to discharge his deceased tutor's functions as master of the King's band; during the next year he obtained the seat of organist at the Chapel Royal, vacated by the death of Travers; and in a short time after, succeeded Weldon as composer to his Majesty. Thus were three lucrative avocations, which before his time had been awarded to distinct musicians, now united in the person of one professor. This distinction was properly appreciated, and led to a multiplication of appointments. He was made conductor of the annual music performed at St. Paul's, for the benefit of the Sons of the Clergy; -an honorary situation, which he continued to fill throughout the remainder of his life with his usual ability, and which he has made memorable by the composition of an admirable instrumental anthem, to this year repeated upon every celebration of the festivity. He was next created director of the performances given at the triennial assemblage of the choirs of Worcester, Hereford, and Gloucester Cathedrals; and added to the interest of their meetings, by producing for them many pieces. His merits were now universally celebrated, and he confirmed, at every opportunity, the justness of that popularity which proclaimed him a master of harmony of the first capacity. It has been already stated, that when Boyce married, he ceased to live with his father: upon that occasion he took a residence in Chancery Lane, and again, about 1752, removed to Kensington Gore. From the date of this last year, the gout, to which he was constitutionally subject, made repeated attacks upon his health, and caused him many acute sufferings. As his years advanced, the implacability of the disorder burst forth with increased virulence, and at length put a period to his existence in the month of his nativity, February, 1779. His body was interred with becoming solemnity in the crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral, where his grave may be recognized by a stone with the following memorial :— WILLIAM BOYCE, Mus. Doc. Master of the Band of Music, to their Majesties George II. and III. Died February the 7th, 1779, Happy in his compositions, in a constant flow of harmony: Relative or Domestic, The Husband, Father, Friend! Dr. Boyce is a musician who holds a very high reputation among his talented countrymen, and seems to have eminently deserved every tribute which has been paid to his memory. The labours by which he acquired this rank are various and equally signal; but however excellent in his own music, the most standard of his publications is a splendid collection of church anthems, selected with considerable taste, and corrected with deep judgment: they are printed in three volumes, folio. Next to this in size and merit, may be placed his Lyra Britannica,' a series of miscellaneous songs, remarkable for pure melody and sonorous modulation. His other published works have been already noticed in this sketch; but it is still to be observed that he offered to public notice only a portion of his compositions, and left behind him a collection of manuscripts very numerous and highly valuable. During the course of his career the nation was surfeited by mannerisms upon the style of Handel; Boyce however was one of the few composers who neither pirated from that great author, nor meanly emulated his peculiarities. He attained, by consequence, a character distinct and sterling ;-one founded not only upon a mature study of the energies of our own old masters, but also tempered by the best models of foreign genius, and neither corrupted by extraneous adaptations, nor enervated by figurative extravagance. His rank, exclusively his own, has been placed by Dr. Burney intermediate between the suavity of Arne, and the gravity of Handel; and although its merits are generally esteemed, yet it has not been unreasonably maintained that they surpass the degree of his popularity. The virtues of Dr. Boyce's private character have been alluded to before: he appears to have been generally respected by the great and powerful, beloved by his friends, and admired by rivals. He is further entitled to praise as a modest author. At the coronation of George III. he was required to set an anthem to music in honour of the solemnity, and the words proposed to him for the purpose were, 'Zadoc the Priest,' &c. This was a task, however, which he begged to decline, and stated in excuse for his reluctance, that Handel had already composed the theme in a manner which must make it extreme presumption in any other professor to attempt the same subject. An apology so laudable was properly appreciated, and Handel's anthem was honourably performed, instead of a new composition. |