A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Incledon, Charles

by William H. Husk

INCLEDON, Charles Benjamin,—the second of which names he despised and seldom used,—was the son of a medical practitioner at St. Kevern, Cornwall, where he was born in 1763. At 8 years of age he was placed in the choir of Exeter Cathedral, where he received his early musical education, first from Richard Langdon and afterwards from William Jackson. In 1779 he entered on board the Formidable, man-of-war, 98 guns, under Capt. (afterwards Rear-Admiral) Cleland. On the West India station he changed his ship for the Raisonable, 64 guns, Captain Lord Hervey. His voice had now become a fine tenor, and his singing attracted the attention of Admiral Pigot, commander of the fleet, who frequently sent for him to join himself and Admiral Hughes in the performance of glees and catches. Incledon returned to England in 1783, when Admiral Pigot, Lord Mulgrave, and Lord Hervey gave him letters of introduction to Sheridan and Colman. Failing to obtain an engagement from either manager he joined Collins's company and made his first appearance at the Southampton Theatre in 1784 as Alphonso in Dr. Arnold's 'Castle of Andalusia.' In the next year he was engaged at the Bath Theatre, where he made his first appearance as Belville in Shield's 'Rosina.' At Bath he attracted the attention of Rauzzini, who gave him instruction and introduced him at his concerts. In 1786 he made his first appearance in London at Vauxhall Gardens with great success, and during the next three years he was engaged there in the summer and at Bath in the winter. On Sept. 17, 1790, he made his first appearance at Covent Garden Theatre as Dermot in Shield's 'Poor Soldier,' and from that time for upwards of 30 years held a high position in public favour, singing not only at the theatre and Vauxhall, but also at concerts, the Lenten oratorios, and the provincial music meetings. In 1817 he visited America, and made a tour through a considerable part of the United States, where he was received with great applause. During the latter years of his life he travelled through the provinces under the style of 'The Wandering Melodist,' and gave an entertainment which was received with much favour. Early in 1826 he went to Worcester for the purpose of giving his entertainment, where he was attacked by paralysis, which terminated his existence on Feb. 11. He was buried at Hampstead, Middlesex. Incledon's voice and manner of singing were thus described by a contemporary:—'He had a voice of uncommon power both in the natural and falsette. The former was from A to G, a compass of about fourteen notes; the latter he could use from D to E or F, or about ten notes. His natural voice was full and open, neither partaking of the reed nor the string, and sent forth without the smallest artifice; and such was its ductility that when he sung pianissimo it retained its original quality. His falsette was rich, sweet and brilliant, but totally unlike the other. He took it without preparation, according to circumstances either about D, E, or F, or ascending an octave, which was his most frequent custom; he could use it with facility, and execute ornaments of a certain class with volubility and sweetness. His shake was good, and his intonation much more correct than is common to singers so imperfectly educated.… He had a bold and manly manner of singing, mixed however with considerable feeling, which went to the hearts of his countrymen. He sang like a true Englishman.… His forte was ballad, and ballad not of the modern cast of whining or wanton sentiment^[1], but the original manly energetic strain of an earlier and better age of English poesy and English song-writing, such as 'Black-eyed Susan' and 'The Storm,' the bold and cheering hunting song, or the love song of Shield, breathing the chaste and simple grace of genuine English melody.' All who had heard Incledon's singing of 'The Storm' (which he sang in character as a sailor) were unanimous in pronouncing it unique, both as a vocal and an histrionic exhibition. Of the songs written expressly for him it may suffice to mention Shield's 'Heaving the lead' and 'The Arethusa.'

Charles Venanzio Incledon, his eldest son, originally engaged in agricultural pursuits, but on Oct. 3, 1829, appeared at Drury Lane Theatre as Young Meadows in 'Love in a Village,' and shortly afterwards played Tom Tug in Dibdin's 'Waterman.' Meeting however with but very moderate success he returned to his former avocation, and, it is believed, emigrated to one of the colonies.

[ W. H. H. ]

1. This was written in 1818, during Incledon's absence in America.