A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Burney, Charles

by Edward Francis Rimbault

BURNEY, Charles, Mus. Doc., was born at Shrewsbury April 7 [App. p.570 "Apr. 12"], 1726, and educated at the free school there. He was subsequently removed to the public school at Chester, where he commenced his musical studies under Mr. Baker, the organist of the Cathedral. When about fifteen years of age he returned to his native town, and for three years pursued the study of music, as a future profession, under his elder brother James Burney, organist of St. Mary's, Shrewsbury. He was next sent to London, and for three years studied under Dr. Arne. In 1749 he was elected organist of St. Dionis-Backchurch, Fenchurch-street, and in the winter of the same year engaged to take the harpsichord in the subscription concerts then recently established at the King's Arms in Cornhill. In the following year he composed the music of three dramas—Mallet's Alfred, Mendez's Robin Hood, and Queen Mab—for Drury-lane. Being threatened with consumption, however, he could not continue these exertions, and, in 1751 accepted the situation of organist of Lynn-Regis, Norfolk, where he remained for the succeeding nine years. In this retreat he formed the design, and laid the foundation of his future History of Music. In 1760, his health being completely restored, he returned to London, and again entered upon the duties of his profession.

Soon after his arrival in London, Burney published several concertos for the harpsichord which were much admired; and in 1766 he brought out at Drury-lane, with considerable success, both words and music of a piece entitled 'The Cunning Man,' founded upon, and adapted to the music of J. J. Rousseau's 'Devin du Village.' On June 23, 1769, the University of Oxford conferred upon him the degrees of Bachelor and Doctor of Music, on which occasion his exercise consisted of an anthem of considerable length, with overture, solos, recitatives and choruses, which continued long to be a favourite at the Oxford Music Meetings, and was several times performed in Germany under the direction of Emanuel Bach. In the meantime, neither the assiduous pursuit of his profession, nor his many other engagements had interrupted his collections for his History of Music. He had exhausted all the information that books could afford him, and was far from what he desired. The present state of music could only be ascertained by personal investigation and converse with the most celebrated musicians of foreign countries, as well as his own. He resolved to make the tour of Italy, France and Germany, and furnished with powerful letters of introduction from the Earl of Sandwich (a nobleman devoted to music) quitted London in June 1770. He spent several days in Paris, and then went by Lyons and Geneva (where he had an accidental interview with Voltaire), to Turin, Milan, Padua, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome, and Naples, consulting everywhere the libraries and the learned; hearing the best music, sacred and secular, and receiving the most cheerful and liberal assistance towards the accomplishment of his object. On his return to England, Dr. Burney published an account of his tour, in one volume, which was exceedingly well received, and deemed so good a model that Dr. Johnson professedly imitated it in his own Tour to the Hebrides, saying, 'I had that clever dog Burney's Musical Tour in my eye.' In July 1772, Dr. Burney again embarked for the continent to make the tour of Germany and the Netherlands, of which he published an account in two volumes. At Vienna he had the good fortune to make the intimate acquaintance of the celebrated poet Metastasio. Here he also found two of the greatest musicians of that age, Hasse and Gluck. From Vienna he proceeded through Prague, Dresden and Berlin, to Hamburg, and thence by Holland, to England, where he immediately devoted himself to arranging the mass of materials thus collected.

In 1773 Dr. Burney was elected an F. R. S.; and in 1776 the first volume of his General History of Music appeared in 4to. In the same year the complete work of Sir John Hawkins was published. Burney's subsequent volumes were published at unequal intervals, the fourth and last appearing in 1789. Between the two rival histories, the public decision was loud and immediate in favour of Dr. Burney. Time has modified this opinion, and brought the merits of each work to their fair and proper level—adjudging to Burney the palm of style, arrangement, and amusing narrative, and to Hawkins the credit of minuter accuracy and deeper research, more particularly in parts interesting to the antiquary and the literary world in general. Burney's first volume treats of the music and poetry of the ancient Greeks, the music of the Hebrews, Egyptians, etc. The second and third volumes comprise all that was then known of the biographies of the great musicians of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. The fourth volume is perhaps less entitled to praise. Whole pages are given to long-forgotten and worthless Italian operas, whilst the great works of Handel and J. S. Bach remain unchronicled; the latter indeed is almost ignored.

When the extraordinary musical precocity of the infant Crotch first excited the attention of the musical profession and the scientific world, Burney drew up an account of the infant phenomenon, which was read at a meeting of the Royal Society in 1779, and published in the Philosophical Transactions. The commemoration of Handel in 1784 again called forth his literary talents; his account of these performances, published in 4to for the benefit of the musical fund, is well known to every musical reader. Dr. Burney also wrote 'An Essay towards the History of Comets,' 1769; 'A Plan for a Music School,' 1774; and the 'Life and Letters of Metastasio,' 3 vols. 8vo, 1796. His last labour was on Rees' Cyclopedia, for which work he furnished all the musical articles, except those of a philosophical and mathematical kind. His remuneration for this was £1000, and as most of the matter was extracted without alteration from his History, the price was large.

During a long life Dr. Burney enjoyed the intimate acquaintance of almost every contemporary who was distinguished either in literature or the arts; with Johnson he was in habits of friendship; and it is known that soon after Johnson's death, he had serious thoughts of becoming his biographer. For many years Dr. Burney lived in St. Martin's Street, Leicester Square, in a house once the residence of Newton, and still standing; but about 1789, on being appointed organist of Chelsea College, he removed to a suite of apartments in that building, where he spent the last twenty-five years of his life in the enjoyment of independence, and of a family, each individual of which (thanks to their parents' early care and example) had attained high distinction in some walk of literature or science. 'In all the relations of private life,' says one of his biographers, 'his character was exemplary, and his happiness such as that character deserved and honoured. His manners were peculiarly easy, spirited and gentlemanlike; he possessed all the suavity of the Chesterfield school without its stiffness—all its graces, unalloyed by its laxity of moral principle.' At length, full of years, and rich in all that should accompany old age, he breathed his last on April 12, 1814, at Chelsea College. His remains were deposited, on the 20th of the same month, in the burial-ground of that institution, attended by his own family (of which he lived to see the fourth generation), the chief officers of the college, and many others of rank and talent.

His intelligent and expressive face has been preserved by Reynolds, in a fine portrait, engraved by Bartolozzi, and Barry has introduced him in his large picture at the Society of Arts.

As a composer Dr. Burney's principal works, in addition to those already mentioned, are 'Sonatas for two Violins and a Base,' two sets; 'Six Cornet Pieces with Introduction and Fugue for the Organ'; 'Twelve Canzonetti a due voci in canone, poesie dell' abate Metastasio'; 'Six Duets for German Flutes'; 'Six Concertos for Violin, etc. in eight parts'; 'Two Sonatas for Pianoforte, Violin and Violoncello'; and 'Six Harpsichord Lessons.'

[ E. F. R. ]

[App. pp. 571–2 "Add that [H]e wrote the music for Thomson's 'Alfred,' produced at Drury Lane, March 30, 1745, and that in 1747 he published six sonatas for two violins and bass. Shortly afterwards Fulke Greville paid Arne £200 to cancel his articles, and took Burney to live with him. In 1749 he married Miss Esther Sleep, who died in 1761. Eight years after her death he married Mrs. Stephen Allen of Lynn. In 1759 he wrote an Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, which was performed at Ranelagh Gardens. In 1806 Fox gave him a pension of £300, and in the following year he had a paralytic stroke. His appointment to Chelsea Hospital was given him by Burke in 1783. (Dict. of Nat. Biog.)

The following is a catalogue of the musical extracts in his 'History of Music':—

Vol. 1. contains no musical example of consequence.

vol. ii.	page
Romance on the death of Richard I. from the Provencal	242
Prologue to the Paraphrase of the Epistle for St. Stephen's Day	252
Plain Song for the Feast of St. John the Evangelist	255
Song for New Year's Day	256
Chanson de Roland	276
Two Chansons du Chatelain de Coucy	283
Chansons du Roman d'Alexandre	290
Song of Thibaut of Navarre	296
Chanson 'L'autrier par la matinée	300
Old French song (fragment) 'Faux semblant'	308
Hymn 'Alla Trinita beata'	328
Song on the victory obtained at Agincourt	384
'Sumer is icumen in'	407
Cantilena of Guido	415
Canon in epidiapente by Okenheim	474
La Deploratlon de Jehan Okenheim, par Josquin des Prés	481
Two canons from Josquin's Mlssa sine nomine	490
Trio 'Pleni sunt' from Josquin's Missa 'l'homme armé'	495
Osanna from Josquin's mass 'Faysan regrés'	499
Benedictus from Do	500
'Misericordias,' Motectus	503
'Murae Jovis ter maximi ' (monody on Josquin's death) Benedictus	513
'Anima mea.' Isaac	521
'De testimoniis' Do	523
Benedictus a 3. P. de la Rue	527
Crucifixus a 2. A. Brunnel	529
Kyrie a 4. Anthony Fevin	531
Et vitam. Do.	532
'Quam pulcra es' (Motetti della Corona, lib. lii, no. 12), Mouton	535
'Youre counterfeyting.' Wm. Newark	541
'My woful hart.' Sheryngham	544
'That was my woo.' R. Fayrfax	546
'Alas, it is I.' Edmund Turges	548
'Dum transisset.' Taverner	557
'Qui tollis' from mass 'O Michael.' Taverner	560
Do. from mass 'Albanus.' Fayrfax	561
'Quoniam' from Do	563
'Gloria,' from another mass by Fayrfax	564
'Esurientes.' John Shepherd	587
'Et In terra pax,' from mass 'Euge bone.' Tye	589
'Sabbatum Maria Magdalene.' Robert Johnson	593
Song, 'Enforced by love and feare.' Robert Parsons	596
vol. iii.
'Heare the Voyce and Prayer.' Tallys	27
Ps. cxxviii. 'Selig ist der gepreiset.' Luther	35
Easter Hymn 'Jesus Christus unser Heiland'	36
'Ein veste burg'	37
Hymn 'Es woll uns Gott'	38
Ps. c. harmonized by Claude Lejeune	40
'Erhalt uns Herr'	53
Four-part song, 'In deep distresse.' Mundy	55
Anthem, 'Lord, who shall dwell.' Robert White	67
'Salvator Mundi,' from 'Cantiones Sacrae,' Tallys	77
Motet, 'Derelinquit.' Tallys	87
The Carman's Whistle. W. Bird	89
'O Lord my God.' Do	95
'My mind to me a kingdom is.' Do	97
Canzonet. 'Cease mine eyes.' T. Morley	103
Do. 'See, see, mine own sweet jewel.' Do	103
Dr. Bull's difficult passages, from Virginal Book	115
Dr. Bull's Jewel	117
Alman by Robert Jhonson	118
'Fortune,' set by Bird for the Virginal	118
'My flockes feed not.' Weelkes	125
'Thou God of Night.' John Milton (Sir William Lelghton's 'Tears and Lamentations')	139
'An heart that's broken.' Dowland	139
'I shame, I shame.' Do	140
Airs, 'Like Hermit poore' and 'Singe we then.' A. Ferrabosco	141
Canon. 'Veni Creator.' Zarlino	169
'Deposuit' from Magnificat in Second Tone. Palestrina	170
'Sicut erat' from Do. Pietro Pontio	177
Miserere. Animuccia	184
Motet, 'Exaltabo te Domine.' Palestrina	191
Madrigal, 'Ahi tu mei neghi.' Marenzio	205
Villota alla Napolitana. Perissone Cambio	214
Canzone Villanesche alia Napolitana. Baldassare Donate	216
Madrigal. 'Moro lasso,' Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa	223
Fugue, 'Diffusa est gratia.' Costanzo Porta	227
Balleto, 'Il Bell' humore.' Gastoldi	231
Do. 'L'Innamorato'	232
Monteverdi's New Discords	235
Madrigal, 'Straccia mi pur.' Monteverde	237
Motet, 'Quam pulcra.' Festa	245
Madrigal, 'Madonna, io v'amo.' Do	246
Motet, 'Domine, quid multiplicati.' Goudimel	267
Chanson, 'Bonjour.' Claudin le Jeune	271
Extracts from 'Le Ballet Comique de la Royne.' Baltazarini	279
Noel. Caurroy	285
Madrigal, 'Il bianco e dolce cigno.' Arcadelt	303
Chanson, 'Ta bonne grace.' Cornelius Canis	309
Madrigal, 'Alma Nemus.' Orlando Lasso	317
Do. 'Calami sonum.' Cipriano de Rore	319
Catch and Canons from 'Pammelia'	349
Rounds and Canons	350
Anthem in 8 parts, exercise for an Oxford degree	351
Song, 'Come my Celia.' A. Ferrabosco	354
Whitelocke's Coranto	378
Air in Comus. Henry Lawes	383
Song 'A lover once.' Do	397
'Sing to the King of Kings.' William Lawes	405
'Lord, judge my cause.' Do.	406
'Who trusts in thee.' Do	406
Five Bells Consort. John Jenkin	411
Canon, 'I am so weary.' Thomas Ford	415
Do. 'Lift up your heads.' Simon Ives.	415
Do. 'Non nobis Domine.' Hilton	416
Do. 'Look down, O Lord.' T. Ford	416
Do. 'Hold thy peace'	416
Examples of Blow's crudities	449
Anthem, 'The ways of Zion.' Michael Wise	455
'Gloria Patri.' Deering	479
Glee, 'Ne'er trouble thyself.' Matthew Locke	480
Three-part song, 'Sweet Tyrannies' by the father of Henry Purcell	486
Chant. Thomas Purcell	487
Canon. Turini	521
Divisions, specimens of. Seracini	528
Fragments of Italian melody from Pallavicini, Cifra, Rovetta, Merula and Facho	544
'Tinna Nonna,' lullaby. Barbella	571
Aria dal Tasso. Tartini	572
Aria alla Lecese. Leo	572
VOL. IV.
Licences in Monteverde	27
Fragments of Peri, Caccini, and Monteverde	31
Rec. and Air from Cesti's 'Orontea'	67
Fragment of Cavalli's 'Erismena'	69
Scena from Bontempi's 'Paride'	71
Scene from the first Oratorio. Emilio del Cavaliere	91
Rec. from Mazzochi's 'Tears of Mary Magdalen'	96
Air from Federici's 'Santa Caterina da Siena'	117
Duet from Stradella's 'John the Baptist'	118
Air from Pistocchi's 'Maddalena'	121
Air 'Il mio figlio.' Scarlatti	121
Extract from Vecchi's 'Amfiparnasso'	127
Extract from Caccini	137
Fragments and Air from Cantata by Carissimi	143
Beauties of his cantatas	147
Duet from 'Musurgia.' Kircher	150
Fragments of cantatas and motet by Cesti	151
Fragments of cantatas by Luigi Rossi	157
Air, 'Dolce amor.' Cavalli	158
Fragment of Bandini	158
Specimens of Salvator Rosa	165
Fragments of Bassani	168
Fragments from Scarlatti's Cantatas	171
Divisions by various singers	216
Fragment from Handel's 'Teseo'	241
Divisions by Nicolai and others	243
Air from Ariosti's 'Vespasiano'	293
Divisions by Farinelli	437
Air sung by Farinelli in Broschi's 'Artaxerxes'	439
Divisions (1740 and 1755)	461

[ M. ]