A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Worgan, James

by William Henry Husk

WORGAN, James, was organist of St. Botolph, Aldgate, and St. Dunstan in the East. In 1737 he became organist of Vauxhall Gardens, which office he resigned about 1751. He died in 1753.

John Worgan, Mus. Doc., his younger brother, born in 1724, studied music under him and Thomas Roseingrave. He became organist of St. Andrew Undershaft, and of St. John's Chapel, Bedford Row. He graduated as Mus. Bac. at Cambridge in 1748. In 1751 he succeeded his brother as organist at Vauxhall Gardens, and in 1753 also as organist of St. Botolph's, Aldgate. In 1753 he was appointed composer to Vauxhall Gardens, and continued so until 1761. In 1770 he was re-appointed to the office and held it until 1774, when he resigned both it and the organistship of the gardens. In 1775 he proceeded Mus. Doc. He died Aug. 24, 1794. He excelled as an organist, and whenever he played, crowds of professors and amateurs resorted to hear him. In a satirical song upon Joah Bates, composed by Samuel Wesley, he was placed upon an equality, as a player, with Handel:—

Let Handel or Worgan go thresh at the organ.

His compositions include an anthem for a thanksgiving for victories, 1759; two oratorios, 'Hannah,' produced at the Haymarket Theatre, 1764, and 'Manasseh,' produced at the Lock Hospital Chapel, 1766; many books of songs composed for Vauxhall; psalm tunes, glees, organ music, and harpsichord lessons.

[ W. H. H. ]