A Short History of English Music

England at one time musical and "merrie"--England before the Reformation--Out-door life--Natural dramatic instincts--Isolation of country districts in early days--Performances o...

Secular music dating from the thirteenth century--Origin lost in antiquity--Earliest specimens, dance music--Morris dance traced to Saxon times--Dancing always associated with s...

Most of the pre-Reformation music destroyed--Tallis, the oldest English musician of which anything certain is known--Organist of Waltham Abbey at time of the suppression of the...

Three principal causes leading to decline--Reformation the principal one--The plain-song and the people--Gradual transition in mode of living--Effect of Calvinistic teaching--Ex...

The early Church, origin of present development of modern music--Antiphon, precursor of harmony and counterpoint--The invention of the organ and its importance--Tallis, the link...

Former indifference to orchestral music in England--Handel and his orchestra--Difference in character to the modern--Haydn's visit--Its great influence--Philharmonic Society--Gr...

Influence of oratorio in England--Commonwealth period and effect on music--Italy original home of oratorio--Origin of the word--Similarity to opera in early stage--Handel--Absur...

Italy, the birth-place of opera--Purcell and opera--English people and opera--Charles II. and his court--Italian opera--Its popularity--Managers and great singers--Royal Opera--...

Birth--Family connected with English Church music--Enters Royal Academy of Music--Importance of the step--His work there--Proceeds to Leipzig--Schumann's appreciation of his gen...

Facilities for hearing music--Opera an exception--Sir Henry Wood--Dream of Gerontius--Sir Frederick Bridge--Ballad concerts--Ballad singers--Madame Clara Butt and Mr. Kennerly R...