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“Sound up the Tune, Neighbours”

Music from Hampshire

We are very grateful to Hampshire Record Office, for the gems in the collections and for the enthusiastic help of the staff, without whose support over many years we would not be in the happy position of being able to dedicate a programme entirely to music and quotations from Hampshire.

Our programmes are continually improved, and different music may be substituted from time to time.

Chandler’s Sacred Catch

This is from the Andrews MS. Started in Hyde, Winchester, it went to Australia about 1850 and returned to Winchester Cathedral Library about 1990. The words are from Isaiah Chap. 55 v1.

Christchurch

We first found this tune in a MS from Lake Road Chapel, Portsmouth for While Shepherds Watched. Here we sing the printed version in Original Psalm and Hymn Tunes, Book the Fifth by David Everard Ford of Lymington (1797-1875). The words chosen by Ford are by Dr. John Ryland (1753-1825), a Baptist Minister, written in 1798 and published in Pastoral Memorials, 1825.

Harbro' New

This is from the Hannington MS (HRO 116A03/1) which belonged eventually to William Witts, and probably before to William Goddard, whose name has been scratched out. Psalm 11 New Version is indicated in the MS. The tune was first published in 1786 in London.

Psalm 23 Old Version

Lincoln Tune by James Evison is from his A Compleat Book of Psalmody, 1747. This book is known in several places in southern counties, and was probably the source from which it was copied into both the MSS of Daniel Clift (HRO 63M70/PZ38) and Joseph Farmer (HRO 63M70/PZ39) at Bramley. The words are from Sternhold & Hopkins, the Old Version of the Metrical Psalms, a fine paraphrase of this favourite Psalm.

Weymouth Tune

Music by Gabriel Davis of the Kent Street Baptist Chapel in Portsea, Sacred Music: two hymns ... and forty psalm tunes, 1802 (BL: B.594.(1)). No words are given, so we chose words by Anne Steele (1716-78), writing as Theodosia, and published 1760.

Psalm 148 NV

Music by Thomas Tremain of Andover, published in Twenty Psalms, 1782 (BL: E.602.f.(4)). His life history is sketchy: baptised Chichester 1736, apprentice organist at Chichester 1752, organist there 1771-5, probably in Andover about 1789. The words are from the New Version of the Metrical Psalms by Tate & Brady, 1696.

The Shepherds Song

This was sung to George Gardiner by Moses Mills of Preston Candover in 1907, William Cole of East Stratton in 1908 and Benjamin Arnold of Easton in 1906. Gardiner (1853-1910), a Scottish lecturer, joined the Folk Song Society, and began collecting in Hampshire in 1905 near Winchester.

The Waterloo Dance

The dance notation is from Old Thomas Hardy's notes about 1815. The tunes are The Waterloo Dance and The Isle of France or Waterloo, both from the Pyle MS (HRO 210M87/1) from Nether Wallop, which probably belonged to Richard Pyle. Most pieces in this MS are in one or two parts, so we arranged them for our band.

Canon of 4 in 1

This is fromJoseph Farmer's MS. The music was originally composed for different words by William Tans'ur (1700-83).

Burton Bradstock

We first found this tune in a MS from Bridport, used for Awake and join the cheerful choir. It's a firm favourite of ours, and we were pleased to find it collected from F. Harrington in Hampshire, used for While Shepherds Watched.

Hark Shepherds Hark

This is in our own Bundell MS which probably came from Dorset. We were thrilled to discover that it was sung by John Carter of Twyford in 1905 and James Lake of Dummer. The bass part occurs in the Hannington MS.

Interval

Buckingham March

Two parts appear in the Pyle MS. The First Duke of Buckingham & Chandos, Richard Grenville, was colonel of the Buckingham militia in 1803. Avington was one of his houses, and his wife Anna Eliza was buried at Avington Church in 1836.

Lonsdale

The tune was adapted in 1788 from a gavotte in a violin sonata by Corelli, and is very widespread. It is in the Andrews, Bundell and Hannington MSS. We sing words from Isaac Watts' paraphrase of Psalm 133, and by John Fawcett (1740-1818).

Owslebury Lads

George Gardiner collected this in 1906 from James Stagg, who died a year later in Winchester Workhouse. Two of his brothers were born in Owslebury.

The Brighton

The dance dates from about 1750. The air is in the Pyle MS, and we have arranged it for our band.

Anthem from the first of Chronicles

Composed by James Kent (1700-76), chorister at Winchester Cathedral, and organist there and at the College from 1738-74.

Ringwood

The tune is by Benjamin Cuzens of Portsmouth Common, published in The Portsmouth Harmony, 1802 (BL: A.109).The words, selected by Cuzens, are Psalm 135 paraphrased by Isaac Watts.

The Standing Toast (The Lass that loves a Sailor)

Words and music by Charles Dibdin (1745-1814). Chorister at Winchester from 1756, he became a famous and popular singer and songwriter. We arranged his piano accompaniment for our band.

Job

Music is by William Arnold of Portsea (1768-1832), published in Original Psalm & Hymn Tunes, 1807. His choice of words is by Charles Wesley (1707-88), Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749.

Anthem taken from the 52nd Chapter of Isaiah

This setting by William Burgiss of Heckfield, from Eight Anthems, Twelve Psalm Tunes, and Gloria Patri… 1808. (BL: H.1663), is probably his most successful composition. It appears in Joseph Farmer's MS from Bramley, the Pyle MS from Nether Wallop, and in many other MSS along the south coast, as well as being reprinted in various anthologies.

Other Hampshire composers not included in the programme:

John Bishop (1665-1737) was organist at Winchester College from 1695-1729 and at Winchester Cathedral from 1729-37. He wrote several anthems intended for village choirs, and was possibly the first composer to do so.

John Marsh (1752-1828) of Romsey, a local composer of symphonies, chamber music and some psalm tunes.

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