A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Clegg, John

CLEGG, John, a distinguished violinist, was born in 1714, probably in Ireland. He appears to have been a pupil of Dubourg at Dublin, and afterwards of Bononcini. When only nine years of age he performed in London in public a concerto of Vivaldi, and afterwards gained an eminent position in the musical profession, surpassing, according to contemporary writers, every other player in England in tone and execution. In 1742 [App. p.594 "On Jan. 21, 1743–4"] however, owing probably to excessive practice, he became insane, and was confined in Bedlam Hospital, where, as Burney relates, 'it was long a fashionable, though inhuman amusement, to visit him there, among other lunatics, in hopes of being entertained by his fiddle or his folly. [App. p.594 adds that "he was discharged as cured on July 20, 1744, but again admitted on Dec. 15 of the same year. He was finally discharged Oct. 13, 1746. (Dict. of Nat. Biog.)"] Clegg appears also to have been a composer for his instrument, but no work of his has come down to us.

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