CROFT, William (1678-1727) - Suite in c

William Croft (1678-1727) - Suite in c

Performers: Cοlin Bοοth (harpsichord)

Painting: Unknown artist - William Croft

Further info: William Croft (1678-1727) - Violin Sonatas & Harpsicord Suites

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William Croft [Crofts]

(Nether Ettington, Warwicks., bap. 30 December 1678 - Bath, 14 Aug 1727) 

English organist and composer. He was a chorister in the Chapel Royal under Blow, of whom, as appears from verses prefixed to Amphion anglicus (1700), he was not only a pupil but a protégé. He was also deeply influenced by Purcell, many of whose works he must have performed and certainly preserved in manuscript copies from the 1690s. There is no reason to reject the probability that he is the ‘Phillip Crofts’ mentioned in the parish archives of St Anne’s Church, Soho, as organist from 1700. In that year he renewed his connection with the Chapel Royal as Gentleman Extraordinary, sharing that post, together with the reversion of a place as organist, with Jeremiah Clarke. In May 1704 they jointly succeeded Francis Pigott as organist of the chapel, and when Clarke died in 1707 the whole place fell to Croft. His anthems in celebration of the battles of Blenheim and Ramillies show that he was already by then supplementing Blow’s duties as a composer, and on Blow’s death in 1708 he followed him not only as composer, Tuner of the Regals and Organs, and Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal but also as organist of Westminster Abbey. Rather curiously, at some time before 1712, he paid for the restoration of the monument in Norwich Cathedral to William Inglott. In 1712 he relinquished his post at St Anne’s. In July 1713 Croft took the Oxford degree of DMus, being the earliest Oxford graduate in music relating to whom there survives solid extended work submitted for the degree; this took the form of two odes for solo voices, chorus and orchestra, With noise of cannon and Laurus cruentas, celebrating the Treaty of Utrecht, and published as Musicus apparatus academicus. Croft was the senior Chapel Royal composer at the time when Handel began to find favour with Queen Anne, and even though there is no evidence of friction it is not impossible that this imposing volume may have seemed a means of maintaining the native composer’s standing.

In 1715 his stipend as Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal was increased by £80 a year, his duties to include teaching the boys reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as organ playing and composition. From around this time until his death he enjoyed the patronage of Sir John Dolben of Finedon, Northamptonshire, sub-dean of the Chapel Royal (1712-17). Croft broke new ground in 1724 by the publication of a handsome two-volume collection of his church music, entitled Musica sacra (seeillustration), engraved and in the form of a score rather than in parts, the advantages of which he cogently urged in his preface. A copy of his ‘Proposals’ to subscribers is now in the New York Public Library. A list dated 1726 shows that Croft was one of the earliest members of the Academy of Vocal Music. He married in 1705, but died childless and was buried close to Purcell in Westminster Abbey. Hawkins (History, ii, 797) described him as a ‘grave and decent man’, and the imposing format of his two chief publications together with the nature of his music indicates that he took his position seriously. As a composer Croft was both a staunch preserver of tradition and an assimilator of new techniques. Many of his works were modelled on specific compositions by Purcell; yet there is evidence that he revised his own Te Deum in D, which was clearly based on Purcell’s 1694 composition, after having heard Handel’s ‘Utrecht’ setting of 1713. Enough of Croft’s songs and instrumental music is dated to justify the view that these branches of composition did not occupy him much after his third decade. His string pieces for the theatre are agreeable if not specially noteworthy, while his harpsichord music is smoother and more regularly turned than that of Blow, with whom Croft, together with others of Blow’s scholars, combined in a publication of 1700.

CROFT, William (1678-1727) - Violin Sonatas & Harpsicord Suites

Obra d'Aert Schouman (1710-1792), pintor holandès (1)

- Recordatori de William Croft -

En el dia de la celebració del seu 336è aniversari de naixement

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Parlem de Pintura...

Aert Schouman (Dordrecht, 4 de març de 1710 - La Haia, 7 de maig de 1792) va ser un pintor holandès. Als 15 anys va exercir com a aprenent de l'artista de Dordrecht Adriaan van der Burg, juntament amb Cornelis Greenwood, el fill del seu mestre de gravat de vidre, Frans Greenwood. Schouman, a diferència de la majoria dels seus contemporanis, va escriure un diari detallat de la seva vida professional des del 16 d'octubre de 1733 fins el 16 de novembre de 1753. Va admetre el seu primer alumne d'art el 1733 i va continuar ensenyant durant la resta de la seva vida. Del 1742 al 1792 va ser cap del Gremi de Sant Lluc de Dordrecht, i el 1751 es va convertir en regent de l'escola de dibuix de l'Haia associada a la Confraria de Pintura de  La Haia. El 1736 va fundar la "Germanor" de la Confraria de l'Haia, una fraternitat artística d'aficionats de Dordrecht i els seus voltants, de la qual en va ser el president durant els anys 1752 a 1762. Va ser un prolífic i versàtil pintor, artesà del vidre, gravador, col·leccionista i comerciant, que va produir natures mortes, temes bíblics i mitològics, estudis d'història natural, paisatges, gèneres, obres històriques, retrats, dibuixos, gravats i mitges tintes. Va dissenyar tapissos i objectes decorats com ara ventalls, caixes de rapè i fins i tot les finestres de vidre d'una llanterna màgica. Va tenir incomptables alumnes i va ser un gran col·leccionista d'art. Va morir a La Haia el maig de 1792.

Font: En català: No disponible - En castellano: Aert Schouman (1710-1792) - In english: Aert Schouman (1710-1792) - Altres: Aert Schouman (1710-1792)

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Parlem de Música...

William Croft (Nether Ettington, bap. 30 de desembre de 1678 - Bath, 14 d'agost de 1727) va ser un organista i compositor anglès. Estudiant del cor de la Capella Reial sota la direcció de Blow, va rebre la influència posterior de Purcell. Citat el 1700 com a "Phillip Crofts" en el càrrec d'organista de l'Església de Santa Anna de Soho, va ser un actiu musical destacat de l'Anglaterra de principis del segle XVIII. El 1705 es va casar tot i que no va tenir fills. Va compondre nombrosos himnes i es va convertir en l'organista oficial de l'Abadia de Westminster el 1708, any de la mort del seu mestre John Blow. El 1724, va publicar la col·lecció "Musica Sacra", un extens recull de música litúrgica. Se'l considera precursor d'Händel, abans que aquest arribés a Anglaterra. Va tenir alguns alumnes entre els que va destacar Maurice Greene. Va morir a Bath l'agost de 1727.

OBRA:

Vocal secular:

Musicus apparatus academicus, being a Composition of 2 Odes (Laurus cruentas, With noise of cannon), solo vv, chorus, orch, US-Su [with corrections and addns in Croft’s hand] (1715); ed. in Durost
Ask not Apollo’s tuneful train (ode, H. Carey), ‘on the Death of the late Famous Mr. Elford’, after Oct 1714, music lost
Prepare, ye sons of art (ode), birthday of Queen Anne, ?1713, solo vv, bc, GB-Lbl, Ob, US-LAuc; ed. in Durost
Some say their sire’s the first made man (ode), to the Grand Khaibar, c1725, solo vv, chorus, GB-Ob
Strike the lyre, your voices raise (ode, J. Friedenham), in honour of Dr Windebank’s Club, solo vv, bc, US-Hw
The heavn’ly warlike Goddess now disarm’d (ode), St Cecilia’s Day, ?1697, solo vv, chorus, orch, LAuc; ed. in Durost
While o’er these realms peace spreads (ode), ?birthday of King George I, ?1718–19, solo vv, bc, LAuc; ed. in Durost
Come all ye tuneful sisters (wedding song, A. Alsop), wedding of Sir John Dolben, Sept 1720, solo vv, bc, GB-Lcm, US-LAuc
Ye who at Hymen’s sacred altar stand (wedding song), solo vv, fl/vn, bc, GB-Lcm
No more of mirth (The Punch Bowl’s Farewell), solo vv, chorus, bc, Thesaurus Musicus, ii (1744/5), US-LAuc
While Love disturbs my waking thoughts, solo vv, vns, fls, bc, LAc

Songs:
By purling streams (Celladon), with ob/fl (c1702);
How insipid were life (c1705);
How severe is my fate (c1700);
Lovesick Jockey (c1705);
My heart is every beauty’s prey (c1703);
What art thou (A Hymn on Divine Musick), Harmonia sacra, ii (1714);
Fill me a bowl (The Mighty Bowl), GB-Ouf;
For rural and sincerer joys, with vns, US-LAuc;
How charming is beauty, with vns, GB-Ob;
Softly breathing solemn airs, Ob;
When gentle sleep (The Dream), Lbl, Och, US-Cu, LAuc;
Ye tuneful numbers, with vn, GB-Lbl
Other songs and duets pubd singly and in 17th-century collections, see Day-MurrieESB;
also pubd in The Monthly Mask of Vocal Music (1702–24) and other 18th-century anthologies, also US-LAuc

Vocal religiosa:

Morning and Communion Service with Sanctus-Gloria, A
Morning and Communion Service with Sanctus-Gloria, b, before 1713, ed. S. Arnold, Cathedral Music (London, 1790)
Morning Service, D, thanksgiving for victories, 17 Feb 1709, A, A, A, A, T, T, B, SSATB, 2 tpt, 2 vn, va, b, GB-Lcm 840 (TeD only), TeD, ed. W. Shaw (London, 1979)
Morning and Evening Service, E , Lbl Add.38668 (19 March 1718/19)
Burial Service (full), SATB, incorporates Purcell’s Thou knowest, Lord, pr. in Musica sacra (see Anthems)

Himnes:
verse unless otherwise stated; principal sources: GB-DRc, EL, Lbl, Lcm, LF, Ob, J-Tn, US-Cn, LAuc; specific sources given only for autograph MSS or those endorsed by Croft
† attributed to Croft only in late sources; see Scandrett
‡ attrib. Croft only in Gostling Partbooks; see Ford
Collection: Musica sacra, or Select Anthems in Score (1724; 2/c1780 as Cathedral Music, or 30 Select Anthems in Score) [SA]
Behold, God is my salvation, A, T, B, SATB, org
Behold, how good and joyful a thing, ‘Union Anthem’, 1707, A, T, B, SATB, org, GB-Lbl Add.17847, collab. Blow and Clarke
Behold now, praise the Lord, A, T, B, SATB, org, Lbl Add.17847
Be merciful, A, T, SSAATBB, org; ed. S. Arnold, Cathedral Music (London, 1790)
Blessed are all they, for the birth of Prince William, 1721, A, T, B, SATB, org; SA
Blessed be the Lord my strength, thanksgiving, St Paul’s, 23 Aug 1705, S, A, A, T, B, SATB, org, Lcm 839
Blessed is the man, A, B, org
Blessed is the people, A, T, B, SATB, org, before 1713; ed. J. Page, Harmonia sacra (London, c1800)
Cry aloud and shout (full with verse), SSATB, org
Deliver us, O Lord, A, T, B, SATB, org, before 1713; ed. J. Page, Harmonia sacra (London, c1800)
Give the king thy judgements, ? for coronation of George II, 13 July 1727, S, A, T, B, B, SATBB, org, Lbl Add.17861; ed. W. Boyce, Cathedral Music (London, 1760–73)
God is gone up (full with verse), S, S, A, A, T, B, SATB, org, c1706, Ob Don.c.19; ed. W. Boyce, Cathedral Music (london, 1760–73)
‡God standeth in the congregation of princes, B, SATB, org, before 1713
Great and marvellous, A, T, B, SATB, org, before 1713
Hear my crying, T, T, B, SATB, org, before c1710
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and consider, A, T, B, SATB, org; SA
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my crying, A, B, SSATBB, org
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my crying (full with verse), S, S, A, A, T, B, SSAATTBB, org, before 1713, Ob Don.c.19; SA
†Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth (full with verse), A, B, SAATBB, org
Help us, O Lord God, B, SAATB, org, Lbl Add.17847
I cryed unto the Lord with my voice, S, A, T, B, SATB, org, before 1720; SA
I waited patiently, S, SATB, org, ?1713
I will alway give thanks, thanksgiving for the Battle of Oudenaarde, 19 Aug 1708, A, A, B, SATB, org, Lbl Add.17847; SA
I will give thanks, thanksgiving for the Battle of Blenheim, 7 Sept 1704, A, T, B, SATB, org, Lbl Add.17847; ed. S. Arnold, Cathedral Music (London, 1790) [adapted]
I will lift up mine eyes, A, T, T, B, B, SATB, org, Festival of the Sons of the Clergy, 1713, Lcm 839
I will magnify thee, A, T, B, SATB, org
I will magnify thee, S, SATB, org
I will magnify thee, A, SATB, org, before Oct 1714
I will sing unto the Lord, A, B, SATB, org, before 1713; SA
Laudate Dominum, canon 4 in 1, Lbl Add.17841; SA
Let my complaint, S, org
Like as the hart, inc., lost, ?owned by Joseph Warren in 19th century
Lord, what love have I, S, S, SATB, org; SA
†My heart is fixed, O God, S, S, bc, inc.
†My soul, be joyful, A, T, B, SATB, org
O be joyful, B, SATB, org; SA
O clap your hands, thanksgiving for the Battle of Ramillies, 27 June 1706, A, A, T, B, SATB, org
O come, let us sing, A, T, T, B, SATB, org
‡O come, let us sing, S, S, bc, inc.
Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, Festival of the Sons of the Clergy, ?1710, S, A, A, T, B, SSAATTBB, org, Lcm 839
†O give thanks unto the Lord and call, A, org
O give thanks unto the Lord and call, thanksgiving, 20 Jan 1715, S, A, T, B, B, SATB, 2 vn, va, bc, Lcm 838
O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious, thanksgiving, 15 Nov 1719, A, B, SSATB, tpt, 2 vn, va, b; SA
O God of my salvation, music lost
O how amiable, S, S, SSATB, org, ?by Aldrich
O Lord God of my salvation, A, T, B, SATB, org, before Oct 1714; SA
O Lord God of my salvation (full with verse), S, S, A, A, T, T, B, B, SSAATB, org, Lbl Add.17847; SA
O Lord, grant the queen/king a long life (full with verse), S, S, A, A, T, T, B, B, SATB, org, before Aug 1714, Ob Don.c.19; SA
O Lord, I will praise thee, S, A, T, B, SSATB, org, Lcm 168; SA
O Lord our governor, A, B, SATB, org
O Lord, rebuke me not (full with verse), A, T, B, SSATTB, org, before 1713, Ob Don.c.19; SA
O Lord, thou art my God, A, A, B, SSATB, org
O Lord, thou hast searched me out, A, T, B, SATB, org, ?1720; SA
†O Lord, thy work, T, T, SATB, org
O praise the Lord … all ye heathen, A, T, B, SATB, org before 1713; ed. W. Boyce, Cathedral Music (London, 1760–73)
O praise the Lord, all ye that fear him, ‘Thanksgiving anthem composed by her majesty’s command’ [for the Battle of Mons, 22 Nov 1709], A, T, B, B, SATB, org, Lcm 839; SA
‡O pray for the peace of Jerusalem, S, S, B, org, inc.
†O sing unto the Lord a new song, A, A, B, SATB, org
O sing unto the Lord a new song, A, T, T, B, SATB, org, before 1713
Out of the deep, A, B, SATB, org, before 1714; SA
Praise God in his holiness, A, T, B, org, ?inc.
Praise God in his sanctuary, for the opening of the organ at Finedon, Northants, 1717, A, T, B, SATB, org, Ob Mus.B.15
Praise the Lord, O my soul, A, T, B, SATB, org, before c1710, Ob Don.c.19; SA
†Praise the Lord, O my soul, A, T, B, B, SATB, org
†Praise the Lord, O my soul, A, A, B, SATB, org
Preserve me, O God, A, SATB, org, Lbl Add.17848
Put me not to rebuke (full with verse), A, T, B, SATB, org; ed. W. Boyce, Cathedral Music (London, 1760–73)
Rejoice in the Lord, thanksgiving, 13 Nov 1720, S, S, A, T, B, SATB, ob, 2 vn, va, b, Lbl Eg.2965; SA
Sing praises unto the Lord (full with verse), S, S, A, T, B, SATB, org, before 1714; SA
Sing unto God, O ye kingdoms, A, SSATB, org; SA
Sing unto the Lord and praise his name, thanksgiving, 17 Feb 1709, A, A, B, SATB, org; SA
Teach me, O Lord, A, B, SATB, org, completed 11 Sept 1723, Ob Mus.C.1
The earth is the Lord’s, T, SATB, org, before 1714; SA
The heavens declare the glory of God, A, T, B, SATB, org. ?after 1713; SA
The Lord hath appeared, ‘written on the news’ of the Battle of Ramillies, 12 May 1706, A, T, B, SATB, org, Ob Mus.B.15
The Lord is a sun and a shield, coronation of George I, 20 Oct 1713, A, T, B, SATB, 2 tpt, 2 vn, va, b
The Lord is king, be the people, T, B, SATB, org; SA
†The Lord is king, the earth may be glad, S, SATB, org
The Lord is my light, thanksgiving, 31 Dec 1706; ed. J. Page, Harmonia Sacra (London, c1800)
The Lord is my strength, anniversary of the accession, 8 March 1711, S, A, T, B, SATB, org; SA
The Lord is righteous, A, B, SATB, org
The souls of the righteous, funeral of Queen Anne, 24 Aug 1714, A, T, B, SSATB, org
This is the day which the Lord hath made, celebration of the Treaty of Utrecht, 7 July 1713, S, A, A, T, T, B, B, SSAATTBB, org, Lcm 839; SA
Thou, O God, art praised in Sion, A, B, SATB, org, 1723, Ob Mus.C.1; SA
Try me, O God (full with verse), A, T, B, SSATTB, org, Lcm 839
Unto thee O God do we give thanks, A, T, B, SATB, org, inc., Cfm Mus.152 (org score)
We wait for thy loving kindness, S, S, A, SATB, org; SA
We will rejoice in thy salvation (full with verse), A, T, B, SATB, org, before 1713; SA

Instrumental:

6 Sonatas or Solos … Compos’d by Mr. Wm. Crofts & an Italian Mr., 3 for vn, bc, 3 for fl, bc (1700) [‘Italian Mr’ identified as G. Finger]; ed. I. Payne (Hereford, 1999)
6 Sonatas … to Which is Added an Excellent Solo … by Sigr. Papus, 2 fl (1704); ed. in HM, ccxlv (1936)
6 sonatas, GB-BENcoke: 4 for 2 vn, bc, 1 for 2 fl, 2 vn, bc, 1 for 4 vn, bc
Ayres in the Comedy of Courtship Alamode, str (1700)
Mr Wm Croft’s Ayres in the Comedy call’d The Funeral, str (1702); ed. in MC, xlv (1976)
Mr Croft’s Aires in the Comedy called The Twinn Rivalls, str (1703)
Mr Wm Croft’s Musick in the Comedy call’d The Lying Lover, str (1704)
Miscellaneous airs, minuets, etc., str, Lcm, Ob, Och
Hpd music pubd in 18th-century anthologies, and in MS in B-Bc, F-Pc, GB-Cfm, Lbl; ed. H. Ferguson and C. Hogwood, William Croft: Complete Harpsichord Works (London, 1974, 2/1981–2), see Holman
Org voluntaries etc., GB-H, Lbl, Ldc, Mp; ed. R. Platt, William Croft: Complete Organ Works (London, 1976–7, 2/1982)
Hymn tunes in 17th- and 18th-century anthologies
Minuet, d'kbd, attrib Croft; by Purcell 

Font: En català: No disponible - En castellano: No disponible - In english: William Croft (1678-1727) - Altres: William Croft (1678-1727)

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Parlem amb veu pròpia...

Henry Purcell és, per dret propi, el compositor anglès més respectat del segle XVII. Per tant, és probable que la generació immediatament posterior a la seva hagi rebut una notable influència musical. Així va ser en el cas de William Croft, un anglès encara poc reconegut més enllà de la seva àrea geogràfica, tot i que amb algunes novetats que hàbilment va saber introduir en la complexa, diversa i competitiva història musical anglesa. Allà, va saber combinar la bellesa pròpia i la d'altri fins el punt de convertir-se en un dels referents més sòlids d'Händel, quan aquest va aterrar en territori anglès el 1712. En aquesta època, Croft ja havia assolit un gran èxit com a organista i compositor de música religiosa però també instrumental. Els exemples musicals d'avui posaran de relleu la varietat dels seus recursos, el seu singular llibre d'estil i la corprenedora melodia de moltes de les seves partitures. Obres per a clavicèmbal en solitari o en el seu acompanyament al violí, en forma de sonates o suites, de les que recuperarem la Suite en Sol major, la Sonata en La major per a violí i la Trumpet Overture, i que representen un valuós testimoni de fins a quin punt l'anglès va ser un erudit en la matèria. I si bé el meu coneixement de Croft era molt limitat, només havia escoltat una esplèndida edició del segell Hyperion, crec que aquestes dues edicions, especialment la de clavecí, faran les delícies d'uns quants melòmans ja que autèntics tresors com aquests, endèmics d'Anglaterra, són d'audició obligada!

Gaudiu i compartiu! 

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Informació addicional...

INTÈRPRETS: Hazel Brooks (violin); David Pollock (harpsichord)
INTÈRPRETS: Colin Booth (harpsichord)
PRESTOCLASSICAL: Croft: Violin Sonatas & Harpsicord Suites
DISCOGS: William Croft - Keyboard Music

IMSLP: William Croft (1678-1727)

CPDL: William Croft (1678-1727)

SPOTIFY: Colin Booth – William Croft - Keyboard Music

SPOTIFY: Duo Dorado – Croft: Violin Sonatas & Harpsicord Suites

Tant si us ha agradat, com si no, opineu, és lliure i fàcil!