A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Music School, The (Oxford)
MUSIC SCHOOL, THE, Oxford, is situated on the south side of the Schools quadrangle, under the Bodleian Library. This building was rebuilt in its present form at the beginning of the 17th century, but the interior of the Music School was altered in 1780 by the architect Wyatt under the direction of the then Professor of Music, Dr. Philip Hayes. The expenses of these alterations were defrayed by a grant of £50 from the University and by the proceeds of three choral concerts given at the following Commemoration, at one of which Dr. Hayes's oratorio 'Prophecy' was performed. The Music School was formerly used for the performance of the exercises for the Degree of Mus. Bac. and Mus. Doc., but during the last ten years the orchestra has been removed, and the room is now used for the University Examinations. The collection of music (noticed in the article Musical Libraries) which belongs to the Music School is no longer preserved there, having been recently removed to the Radcliffe Library; but the building still contains a valuable collection of portraits of mueicians, etc., of which the following is a list:—
| C. F. Abel. Dr. J. Bull. |
Sir John Hawkins. James Hasletine. |
[App. p.727 "Add that the portraits, of which a list is given, have been lately moved to the New Schools. They were exhibited at the Inventions Exhibition in 1885, when Salomon's portrait was identified. See Add. MS. 23071, fol. 65, for a list of them in 1733–4."]
In Anthony à Wood's account of the University, he states that the Music School also possessed busts of King Alfred, Dr. W. Hayes, and H. Purcell, as well as portraits of W. Hine, Dr. Parsons, Salomon, and John Weldon. The busts are no longer in the School, but there aro four unidentified portraits, which are possibly those of the above-named musicians.