A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ashe, Andrew

by William H. Husk

ASHE, Andrew, was born at Lisburn in Ireland, about the year 1759. Before he had completed his ninth year he was sent to England to an academy near Woolwich, where he remained more than three years, when his father, having experienced a reverse of fortune, was compelled to recall him to Ireland. Luckily for him, as he stood weeping with the letter in his hand, Count Bentinck, a colonel in the army, who was riding by, learning the cause of his grief, wrote to his father offering to take the boy under his protection. Ashe accompanied his patron to Minorca, where, the love for music which he had already shown at school continuing, he received instruction on the violin. He next went with the Count through Spain, Portugal, France, and Germany, and lastly to Holland, where such an education as would qualify him to become his benefactor's confidential agent in the management of his estates, was provided for him. But Ashe's mind was too strongly attracted towards music to suffer him to attend to anything else, and the Count perceiving it permitted him to follow the bent of his inclination. He acquired a general knowledge of several wind-instruments, but evinced the most decided predilection for the flute, the study of which he pursued so assiduously that in the couse of a few years he became the admiration of Holland. Quitting the roof of Count Bentinck he engaged himself as chamber musician at Brussels, first to Lord Torrington, and next to Lord Dillon. About 1778 he obtained the post of principal flute at the opera-house of Brussels. About 1782 he returned to Ireland, where he was engaged at the concerts given at the Rotunda, Dublin. In 1791 Salomon engaged him for the concerts given by him in Hanover Square, at which Haydn was to produce his grand symphonies, and he made his appearance at the second concert, on February 24, 1792, when he played a concerto of his own composition with decided success. He soon became engaged at most of the leading concerts, and on the resignation of Monzani was appointed principal flute at the Italian opera. In 1799 he married Miss Comer, a pupil of Rauzzini, who, as Mrs. Ashe, was for many years the principal singer at the Bath concerts, the direction of which after the death of Rauzzini in 1810, was confided to Ashe. After conducting these concerts with considerable ability for twelve years. Ashe relinquished the direction in 1822, having during the last four years of his management been a considerable loser by them. Mrs. Ashe first appeared at the Concert of Ancient Music in 1807 and also sung in the oratorios. Two of Ashe's daughters, one a harpist and the other a pianist, performed in London in 1821.

[ W. H. H. ]