MASON, John, Mus. Bac., was admitted clerk of Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1508, graduated Feb. 12, 1509, and was in the same year appointed instructor of the choristers and chaplain of Magdalen College. Wood says he was in much esteem in his profession. He was collated prebendary of Pratum minus, July 21, and of Putson minor, July 22, 1525, and treasurer of Hereford Cathedral, May 23, 1545. He is mentioned by Morley in his 'Introduction' as one of those whose works he had consulted. He died in 1547.
[ W. H. H. ]
MASON, Lowell, Mus. Doc., born at Medfield, Massachusetts, Jan. 8, 1792, died at Orange, New Jersey, Aug. 11, 1872. He was self-taught, and in his own words 'spent twenty years of his life in doing nothing save playing on all manner of musical instruments that came within his reach.' At 16 he was leader of the choir in the village church, and a teacher of singing classes. At 20 he went to Savannah in Georgia, as clerk in a bank, and there continued to practise, lead, and teach. In the course of these labours he formed, with the help of F. L. Abel, a collection of psalm tunes based on Gardiner's 'Sacred Melodies'—itself adapted to tunes extracted from the works of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. [See Gardiner, vol. i. 582b.] This collection was published by the Handel and Haydn Society of Boston in 1822 under the title of 'the Handel and Haydn Society's collection of Church Music,' Mason's name being almost entirely suppressed. The book sold well: it enabled the Society to tide over the period of its youth, and establish itself as one of the characteristic institutions of Boston, it initiated a purer and healthier taste for music in New England, and it led to Mason's removal to Boston and to his taking 'a general charge of music in the churches there,' in 1827. He then became president of the society; but as his object was not so much the cultivation of high class music as the introduction of music as an essential element of education in the common schools, he soon left it and established the Boston Academy of Music in 1832. He founded classes on the system of Pestalozzi, and at length in 1838 obtained power to teach in all the schools of Boston. At the same time he founded periodical conventions of music teachers, which have been found very useful, and are now established in many parts of the States. He also published a large number of manuals and collections which have sold enormously and produced him a handsome fortune. He visited Europe first in 1837 with the view of examining the methods of teaching in Germany, and embodied the results in a volume entitled 'Musical Letters from Abroad' (New York, 1853). He was for long closely connected with the Public Board of Education of Massachusetts, his kindness and generosity were notorious, and he was universally admired and esteemed. His degree of Doctor in Music, the first of the kind conferred by an American college, was granted by the New York University in 1835. The last years of his life were spent at Orange in New Jersey, the residence of two of his sons. He formed a very fine library which he collected far and wide, regardless of expense.
Of his sons, William, born 1828, received a liberal education in music, and was long recognised as a leading pianist in New York; while Lowell and Henry are respectively president and treasurer of the Mason and Hamlin Organ Company at Boston.
[ A. W. T. ]
MASON, Rev. William, son of a clergyman, born at Hull 1725 [App. p.712 "1724"], graduated at Cambridge, B.A. 1745, M.A. 1749; took orders 1755, became chaplain to the king and rector of Aston, Yorkshire, and afterwards prebendary (1756), canon residentiary and precentor (1763) of York Cathedral. In 1782 he published a book of words of anthems, to which he prefixed a 'Critical and Historical Essay on Cathedral Music' (another edition, 1794). He also wrote essays 'On Instrumental Church Music,' 'On Parochial Psalmody,' and 'On the causes of the present imperfect alliance between Music and Poetry." He composed some church music, the best known of which is the short anthem 'Lord of all power and might.' He was author of several poems, and of two tragedies, 'Elfrida' and 'Caractacus,' and was the friend and biographer of the poet Gray. He died at Aston, April 5, 1797 [App. p.712 "April 7, 1794"].
[ W. H. H. ]
MASQUE. The precursor of the opera; a dramatic entertainment, usually upon an allegorical or mythological subject, and combining poetry, vocal and instrumental music, scenery, dancing, elaborate machinery, and splendid costumes and decorations—which was perforated at Court or at noblemen's houses on festive occasions, the performers being usually persons of rank. Masques were frequently exhibited at the courts of James I. and Charles I., and vast sums were lavished upon their production. The Masque of the Inner Temple and Gray's Inn, presented in Feb. 1613, on the marriage of the Princess Elizabeth to the Elector Palatine of the Rhine, cost £1086 8s. 11d.[1] The principal author of those masques was Ben Jonson, whose genius was peculiarly fitted to a style of composition which afforded him ample opportunity of displaying his erudition. Beaumont, Chapman, Samuel Daniel, Campion, Shirley, Heywood, and Carew, also employed their talents upon masques, as did a greater than they, Milton, whose 'Comus' was represented at Ludlow Castle in 1634. Inigo Jones devised the machinery and designed the costumes for the Court masques;[2] Lanière and others painted the scenery; and Ferrabosco, Campion, H. and W. Lawes, Ives, Lanière, Lock, C. Gibbons and others composed the music. Two of Ben Jonson's masques—'The Masque of Queens,' 1610, and 'The Twelfth Night's Revels,' 1606, were printed from his autograph MSS. in the British Museum by the Shakspere Society at the end of Cunningham's 'Life of Inigo Jones.' After the
- ↑ In regarding these figures the difference In the value of money then and now must be home In mind.
- ↑ Many of his sketches for this purpose are in the possession of the Duke of Devonshire.
