The Musical Life of William Herschel (1738-1822)

Tuesday 20th July 18:00 BST

NAM delegates can view the performance here.

Our concert introduces William Herschel the musician and features a range of music that he composed and performed, plus a few pieces by his close musical associates in Bath. The musical numbers are introduced to place them within the context of Herschel’s career as a musician up to the age of 40 and includes music for a string band, solo music for violin, harpsichord and organ, music for band and singer(s), unaccompanied catches, service music and accompanied songs with guitar. The concert follows William’s career from his early years in the North of England through to the end of his period in Bath and highlights his main areas of musical interest. We have included a piece each by Thomas Linley (senior) and Vennazio Rauzzini as they feature in his career trajectory and his eventual abandonment of music. The music has been specially recorded in the Museum of Bath Architecture, which, when newly built, was a building well known to Herschel; and whose choir he used for some of his performances. The spoken introductions were recorded in one of Herschel’s homes, no. 19 New King’s Street, which is now the Herschel Museum and is where William first discovered Uranus. The music is performed and sung by The Vauxhall Players and The Bristol Ensemble, with the introductions and research by Matthew Spring.

Performers:
Singers of Vauxhall Players: Chris Murphy, Lewis Spring, Colin Danskin, Sara Stowe
String players of Bristol Ensemble: Violin 1, Simon Kodurand (leader); Violin 2, Jo Green; Viola, Rachel Byrt; 'Cello, Harriet Wiltshire
Harpsichord and Organ: Sara Stowe
English Guittar and 5-Course Guitar; Matthew Spring
Research and Presentation: Matthew Spring

• William Herschel: Symphony di Camera no.4 in D minor (1760), Allegro moderato; Adagio ma non troppo; Allegro moderato

• William Herschel: Three movements from 24 Capriccios for solo violin (1763), nos. 1, 11, 17

• William Herschel: Symphony no. 9 in F (1761): Allegro Assai

• William Herschel: Solo from 12 Pieces for Organ (G major); Service Music - Te Deum in G major

• William Herschel: Solo for harpsichord in G major, from Sei Sonate per il Cembalo (1769): allegro grazioso

• Thomas Linley: Song with English guitar, ‘No flower that blows’; William Herschel: Song with Eighteenth-Century Spanish guitar ‘Ah! non lasciami’

• Venanzio Rauzzini – Aria ‘Infelice! In tant orror’ from Pyramus and Tisbe (1775)

• William Herschel, Serious Glee in three parts with band ‘We sing of love’; Pleasure Garden Patriot Song – ‘Let humble faithless France’ (1778)

• William Herschel, Unaccompanied catches ‘You’r tipsy Tom’; ‘Pray let us sing a merry catch’; ‘Today I am just 29’; ‘Echo catch’ (1778)