A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Bartleman, James

by Edward Francis Rimbault

BARTLEMAN, James, was born Sept. 19, 1769, probably at Westminster, and educated under Dr. Cooke in the choristers' school of Westminster Abbey. He soon showed voice and capacity far beyond his fellow pupils, and became a great favourite with his master. His voice while it remained a soprano was remarkable for strength and fine quality of tone. He distinguished himself as a boy-singer by his refined and expressive rendering of Dr. Greene's solo anthem, 'Acquaint thyself with God.' He was greatly patronised by Sir John Hawkins, in whose family he was a frequent visitor (see Miss Hawkins's 'Anecdotes'). In 1788 his name appears for the first time as a bass chorister, at the Concerts of Ancient Music, where he remained till 1791, when he quitted it to assume the post of first solo bass at the newly established Vocal Concerts. In 1795 he returned to the Ancient Concerts, and immediately took the station which, till compelled by ill health, he never quitted, of principal bass singer in the first concert of the metropolis. Before Bartleman's time only one bass solo of Purcell's had been heard at these concerts—that of the Cold Genius in the 'Frost Scene' of 'King Arthur.' It is to him we are indebted for making us acquainted with those magnificent monuments of the giant of English composers, 'Let the dreadful Engines,' 'Thy Genius, lo!' 'Ye twice ten hundred Deities,' 'Hark, my Daridcar.' In the short course of one season he revived them all, and continued to sing them with unabated applause until he sang no more. Bartleman's execution was that of his time and school, and confined chiefly to written divisions; his own ornaments were few, simple, and chaste, and always in strict keeping with the feeling of the air in which they were introduced. The latter years of his life were embittered by disease which he vainly struggled against. He died April 15, 1821, and was buried in the cloisters of Westminster. His epitaph is by Dean Ireland. He formed a large and valuable musical library, which was sold by auction by White of Storey's Gate, shortly after his death. (Harmonicon, 1830; Books of Ancient Concerts; Private Sources.)

[ E. F. R. ]