A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Wesley, Charles
WESLEY, Charles, son of the Rev. Charles Wesley and nephew of the celebrated Rev. John Wesley, was born at Bristol, Dec. 11, 1757. His musical instinct displayed itself in early infancy, and at two years and three-quarters old he could play 'a tune on the harpsichord readily and in just time,' and 'always put a true bass to it.' He was taken to London, and Beard offered to get him admitted as a child of the Chapel-Royal, but his father declined it, having then no intention of educating him as a musician. He was also introduced to Stanley and Worgan, who expressed themselves very strongly as to his abilities. After receiving instruction from Kelway and others he embraced music as his profession, and became an excellent performer on both organ and harpsichord. He held at various times the appointment of organist at Surrey Chapel, South Street Chapel, Weibeck Chapel, Chelsea Hospital and St. Marylebone Church. Having attained to a certain degree of excellence as a performer he made no further progress. He composed a set of 'Six Concertos for the Organ or Harpsichord, Op. 1,' a set of Eight Songs, 1784, some anthems (one printed in Page's 'Harmonia Sacra'), music for 'Caractacus,' a drama, and other pieces. He died May 23, 1834. [App. p.816 "Add that he wrote a hymn on the death of Dr. Boyce, beginning, 'Father of Heroes, farewell.'"]
His younger brother, Samuel, born Feb. 24, 1766 (the anniversary of the birth of Handel), although also a precocious performer, did not develop his faculties quite so early, for he was three years old before he played a tune, and did not attempt to put a bass to one until he had learned his notes. He proved to be, notwithstanding, the more gifted of the two brothers. From his cradle he had the advantage of hearing his brother's performances upon the organ, to which, perhaps, his superiority might be partly ascribed. Before he was five years old he learned to read words by poring over Handel's oratorio, 'Samson,' and soon afterwards learned, without instruction, to write. When between six and seven years of age he was taught to play by note by Williams, a young organist of Bristol. Before then he had composed some parts of an oratorio, 'Ruth,' which he completed and penned down when about eight years old, and which was highly commended by Dr. Boyce. About the same time he learned to play the violin, of which he became a master, but his chief delight was in the organ. He was now introduced into company as a prodigy, and excited general admiration. In 1777 he published 'Eight Lessons for the Harpsichord,' and about the same time an engraved portrait of him when eight years old appeared. Before he attained his majority he had become a good classical scholar, acquired some knowledge of modern languages, successfully cultivated a taste for literature, and obtained distinction as an extemporaneous performer upon the organ and pianoforte. In 1787 an accident befel him, the consequences of which more or less affected him during the remainder of his life, and from which undoubtedly sprung those erratic and eccentric habits for which he became remarkable. Passing along Snow Hill one evening, he fell into a deep excavation prepared for the foundation of a new building, and severely injured his skull. He refused to undergo the operation of trepanning, and suffered for seven years from despondency and nervous irritability which occasioned him to lay aside all his pursuits, even his favourite music. On his recovery he resumed his usual avocations, and became acquainted with the works of John Sebastian Bach, the study of which he pursued with enthusiasm, and to propagate a knowledge of which among English musicians he laboured assiduously. During 1808 and 1809 he addressed a remarkable series of letters to Benjamin Jacob upon the subject of the works of his favourite author, which was edited by his daughter, and published in 1875. [See Jacob, vol. ii. p. 28b.] In 1810 he put forward, in conjunction with C. F. Horn, an edition of Bach's 'Wohltemperirte Clavier,' and promoted the publication of an English translation of Forkel's Life of Bach (1820). In 1811 he was engaged as conductor and solo organist at Birmingham Festival. In 1816 he suffered a relapse of his malady, and was compelled to abandon the exercise of his profession until 1823, when he resumed his pursuits until 1830; but a further attack again disabled him, and he was afterwards unable to do more than make occasional appearances. One of his latest public performances was at the concert of the Sacred Harmonic Society on Aug. 7, 1834, when at the organ he accompanied the anthem, 'All go unto one place,' which he had composed upon the death of his brother Charles. His actual last appearance was at Christ Church, Newgate Street, on Sept. 12, 1837. He had gone there to hear Mendelssohn play upon the organ, and was himself prevailed upon to perform. He died within a month afterwards, Oct. 11, and was buried Oct. 17, in the vault in the graveyard of Old St. Marylebone Church, in which the remains of his father, mother, sister, and brother had been previously deposited. Wesley was indisputably the greatest English organist of his day, and both in his extemporaneous playing and in his performance of the fugues of Bach and Handel he was unrivalled. His compositions were numerous and varied, and of the highest excellence. By the kindness of Miss Wesley, his daughter, we are enabled to give a complete list of them.—S. Wesley's religious tenets have been matter of doubt. At a late period of his life he disclaimed having ever been a convert to the Roman Catholic faith, observing that 'although the Gregorian music had seduced him to their chapels, the tenets of the Romanists never obtained any influence over his mind.' But there is extant, in the national archives at Paris, a series of letters addressed by him to a lady, believed to have been connected with a conventual establishment at Bell Tree House, Bath, without year-date, but evidently written in his youth, which points to the conclusion that at that time he must have had at least a strong leaning towards the Romish faith, though he refrained from avowing it out of respect for the feelings of his father. He left several children; his eldest son, Rev. Charles Wesley, D.D. (born 1795, died Sept. 14, 1859), was Sub-dean of the Chapel Royal, and editor of a collection of words of anthems.
List of Samuel Wesley's Compositions.
Those marked with * are published.
Oratorios. Ruth (composed at 8 years old). Death of Abel. Parts 2 and 3 complete.
Masses. Missa solemnis (Gregorian) for voices only; Missa, Kyrie eleison; Missa de S. Trinitate; Missa pro Angelis.
Antiphons. [App. p.816 "for Antiphons read Motets"] *In exitu Israel à 8; *Exultate Deo, à 5; Dixit Dominus; *Omnia Vanitas; Tu es Sacerdos; Te decet hymnus; Hosanna in excelsis; Domine salvum fac (org. oblig.) all à 4; *Confitebor for solos, chorus, and orchestra; *IV. In Nativitate Domini; V; VI; VII; VIII; IX; X, In Epiphania; XI; XII, In Festo Corporis Christi; XIV, In Epiphania; XVI, Ad Benedictum, for Corpus Christi; XVII, XVIII, In Festo Corp. Christi; Dixit Dominus; Salve Regina; Ad Magnificat; Qualem sinistrum; Agnus Dei, in D (1812); Agnus Dei (1812); Hymns in Festo Ascensionis. Versus 3 de Ps. cxxxvi. Ave Maris Stella (1786); Salve Regina; Magna opera; Omnes gentes.
Services. *Morning and Evening Church Service in F à 4: also Te Deum, Sanctus, Kyrie, Nunc Dimittis, and Burial Service à 4; Jubilate Deo; Sanctus in F.
Anthems. *All go unto one place. Funeral Anthem for Charles Wesley; *I am well pleased; Behold how good (org. oblig.); *Thou, O God, art praised; Who can tell? (July 4. 1823); Hear, O Thou Shepherd; Be pleased, O Lord; I will take heed.
Choruses. My delight (Ap. 11, 1816); Thus through successive ages; On the death of W. Kingsbury (1782); Why should we shrink (orch., May 1813).
Parochial Psalm-tunes, with Interludes, *Bk. I. only; Chorales or Psalm-tunes, 600 or more.
Ode to S. Cecilia's day, for solos, chorus and orch. Words by Rev. S. Wesley.
Glees. For 4 voices:—Circle the bowl; *O sing unto my roundelaie (Madr.): No more to earth; Now the trumpet's (1815); While every short-lived (1822); *Father of Light; Here shall the morn; Join with thee; No more to earth's. For 3 voices:—Thou happy wretch; These are by fond mama (1778); Harsh and untuneful (178S); *Goosy, goosy, gander (1781); Adieu, ye soft; When Orpheus went down; When first thy soft lips (1783); What bliss to life (1807); When Friendship; On the salt wave (1793); Koses their sharp spines (1822); Say can power (1791); The rights of man; Blushete mio caro; How grand in age; *from Anacreon; Nella cara.
Duets. Beneath, a sleeping infant lies; Belle Gabrlelle (1792); Since powerful love (1783); Sweet constellations (1782).
Songs. *True Blue; Within a cowslip's; England, the spell; Gentle warbling (1799); What shaft of Fate's relentless power; In gentle slumbers; Farewell, if ever fondest prayer; Think of me; Behold where Dryden; Louisa, view; *Come all my brave boys; Election squib; *The House that Jack built; *Love and Folly; *The Autophagos; Adieu, ye Jovial youths (1783); The world, my dear Mira (1784); Yes, Daphne! (1781); When we see a lover languish (1783); Too late for redress (1783); Pale mirror of resplendent night; Love's but the frailty; Oh how to bid; Parting to death we will compare (1783); The white-robed hours (1783); Armin's lamentation (1784); Fluttering spread (1783).
Symphonies. In D (1784); in E♭ (T784); in B♭ (1802); in A; in D. unfinished.
Overtures. In D (1778); in C (1780); in D; 'to the 2nd Act,' unfinished.
Organ Concertos. In E♭ (1776); in D (1781); in G (1782); in B♭ (1785), On Rule Britannia; in G; in B♭; in E♭; in G; in C; in D (hornpipe).
Grand Duet, *No. 1; Do. No. 2; *Do. in 3 movements, insc. to F. Marshall.
Voluntaries. In D, in C, in C minor, in C, in E♭, in G minor, in F in C (all in *op. 6); Do. in G, in D, in D, in A, in F; *3 Voluntaries ded. to W. Harding; a 2nd set of do.; *6 Voluntaries for young Organists; *One do. insc. to Thos. Attwood; *Do. in G minor insc. to W. Linley; *Do. in G, insc. to H. J. Gauntlett; *One do. insc. to W. Drummer, Esq.; *A 2nd in D, insc. to the same; *Easy Voluntaries; *6 do.; *A short and familiar Voluntary in A; *12 short pieces with full Voluntary added; *12 short pieces with Grand Fugue; *A Book of Interludes; *Fugue in D; *Preludes and Fugues or Exercises; *6 Introductory movements, and Fugue in D; *Characteristic airs for the Seraphine; Concerto in D for Organ and Violin (1800).
Pianoforte. *Eight lessons (1777); *Duet March in D, No. 25; 3 Sonatas, op. 3; 4 Sonatas and 2 Duets, op. 5; Sonata with fugue on subject of Salomon's; 2 Sonatas for PF. or Harpsichord with acc. for Violin, op. 2; *Sonatina, ded. to Miss Meeking; *Do. on Air in Tekeli, in G; Rondo in D, Off she goes; *Do. in D, Lady Mary Douglas; Do., Fly not yet; Orphan Mary; Patty Kavannah; The young May moon; *Do. in G minor, Kitty alone and I; *Do. In A, I attempt from Love's sickness; Do. Will Putty; *Belllsima Signora; *Pastorellis Polacca; *Do. in B♭, the Lass of Richmond Hill; Do. in D, Old Towler; *Do. from an Organ Concerto; *Do. on Polish Air, in D minor; *Do. in G; *Bay of Biscay (B♭); *Christmas Carol (E min.); *Moll Pately (in F); *Widdow Waddle (in A); *La Melange; *Scots wha hae; *The Deserter's Meditations; *A favourite Air from Der Freyschutz; *Jacky Horner, with Flute; Adagio, March, and Waltz; *Duet in La Cosa rara; Divertimento, ded. to Miss Walker; *Siege of Badajoz, with March in D; Rondo in A (1778); Waltz, the Skyrocket; *Do. the Coburg; Introd. and Air, insc. to Mrs. Stirling; Sweet Enslaver, with Vars.; *Hornpipe and variations with Introd.; *Variations on a fav. Italian air, in F; *Grand Fugue with March from Ode to S. Cecilia's day; Grand Coronation March; *Do. in D; New March as performed on Parade; Preludes throughout the 8ve both major and minor; *Fugue, insc. to J. B. Logier.
String Quintet, In A; Do. Fugue in B♭ (1800). Quartet (1780); Do. (1799). Trio. Aria for Strings; for Oboe, Violin and Cello; *for PF. and 2 Flutes; for 3 PF's. Duet. Violin and Cello. Sonata à Violino Solo in A. Solo per Violino e Basso. March, Corni, Oboi, Bassoni, Serpent (1777).