A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Smith, Robert

by David Baptie

SMITH, Robert Archibald, born at Reading Nov. 16, 1780. His father, a Paisley silk-weaver, finding his trade declining in Reading, removed back to Paisley in 1800. Robert soon showed a great aptitude for music, and at ten could play the violin. In 1807 he was appointed leader of the psalmody at the Abbey Church, Paisley, a situation which he filled for many years. While there he made the acquaintance of Robert Tannahill the poet, many of whose fine lyrics he set to music. One of these, 'Jessie, the Flow'r o' Dunblane,' published in 1808, at once made its mark, and was universally admired.

Smith possessed a fine vein of melody, and in vocal composition had at that time perhaps no equal in Scotland. In 1820 he began to publish 'The Scottish Minstrel' (6 vols. 8vo. 1820–24) containing several hundreds of the best Scottish songs, not a few of them his own, frequently without indication. It is still considered a good compilation. In Aug. 1823 he obtained the leadership of the psalmody at St. George's Church, Edinburgh, under the Rev. Dr. Andrew Thomson, whose son John was destined in after years to become the first musical Reid professor in Edinburgh University. [See Thomson, John.] Besides anthems and other pieces (most of the former written for the boys of George Heriot's Hospital), Smith now found time to publish his 'Irish Minstrel,' followed in 1826 by an 'Introduction to Singing,' and in 1827 by 'Select Melodies of all Nations,' in one volume, one of his best works. In 1828 he brought out his 'Sacred Harmony of the Church of Scotland,' by which he is now best known. His health was at no time robust, and he suffered from dyspepsia, under which he finally sank, Jan. 3, 1829.

'Smith,' says the late George Hogarth, 'was a musician of sterling talent. … His compositions are tender, and tinged with melancholy; simple and unpretending, and always graceful and unaffectedly elegant. … He had the admirable good sense to know how far he could safely penetrate into the depths of counterpoint and modulation without losing his way; and accordingly his music is entirely free from scientific pedantry.' His most popular pieces are the songs 'Jessie, the Flow'r o' Dunblane'; 'London's bonnie woods and braes'; and 'Bonnie Mary Hay'; the duet 'Row weel, my boatie'; the trio 'Ave Sanctissima'; and the anthems 'Sing unto God,' and 'How beautiful upon the mountains'; although many more might be named which are yet frequently sung. Owing to the modern alterations in congregational singing, the introduction of German chorales and ancient ecclesiastical melodies, and the change from florid to syllabic tunes, Smith's 'Sacred Harmony' is to a great extent superseded. But it still has its value, even at a distance of fifty years from its publication.

[ D. B. ]