A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Kent, James

KENT, James, born at Winchester, March 13, 1700, became a chorister of the cathedral there under Vaughan Richardson [App. p.690 "add that he was chorister of the cathedral from 1711 to 1714"], but was shortly afterwards removed to London and entered as a chorister of the Chapel Royal under Dr. Croft. There he attracted the attention of the sub-dean, Rev. John Dolben, through whose influence he obtained, on leaving the choir, the post of organist of the parish church of Finedon, Northamptonshire, the seat of the Dolbens. He resigned his office at Finedon on obtaining the organistship of Trinity College, Cambridge, which he held till 1737 [App. p.690 "Jan. 13"], when he succeeded John Bishop as organist of the Cathedral and College of Winchester. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Freeman, a singer at the theatre in the time of Purcell, afterwards a member of the choirs of the Chapel Royal, St. Paul's and Westminster, and who died Dec. 10, 1736. It was not until the decline of life that Kent could be induced to publish; he then printed a volume containing 12 anthems. In 1774 ne resigned his appointments in favour of Peter Fussell, and died at Winchester, May 6, 1776. [App. p.690 "He died in October, not May, 1776, if his monument at Winchester may be trusted."] After his death a volume containing a Morning and Evening Service and 8 Anthems by him was published under the editorship of Joseph Corfe. Kent assisted Dr. Boyce in the compilation of his 'Cathedral Music.' His anthems have been extravagantly extolled by some, and decried by others; in both cases unjustly. They are smooth and even productions, generally pleasing, but rarely rising above mediocrity. His 'Hear my Prayer' was at one time a great favourite, but it is a poor composition. He borrowed freely from Italian composers, without acknowledgment, as is shown by a volume full of his notes in the possession of Sir F. A. G. Ouseley. [See Bassani.]

[ W. H. H. ]