Union Pipes - Irish Traditional Music Archive

35 COURTNEY’S ‘UNION PIPES’ AND THE TERMINOLOGY OF IRISH BELLOWS-BLOWN BAGPIPES
in the Strand during March 1792. 96 In May 1792 Courtney is having
another benefit in the Crown and Anchor and playing ‘an entire New
Concerto on the Union Pipes by Mr. Reeve, who Composed the
Favourite Overture in Oscar and Malvina’. He is supported by
Weippert, Mr Incledon, Mrs Mountain, Miss Leary, and other
leading London entertainers. 97 Later in the month Courtney and
Weippert are accompanying the singing of a Scottish duet by
Incledon and Mountain in a theatrical evening in Covent Garden
which featured as the afterpiece the popular comedy The Irishman in
London. 98 For the first time in his London career, Courtney is billed
as playing the ‘Irish Pipes’; this was doubtless thought appropriate
for the theme of the comedy, which also featured ‘A Planxty’ sung
by the Irish specialist singer Mr Johnstone. 99 But ominously
Courtney fails to appear for the last night of a run of Oscar and
Malvina in the same venue: ‘Mr. Weippart with his Harp, undertook
the whole piece by himself, with wonderful execution and taste; the
sweet tone which he brought from the Harp astonished the
Company’. 100 By the beginning of November 1792 Courtney and
Weippert are together again in Oscar and Malvina during the new
theatrical season in Covent Garden. 101
At this time Courtney was beginning to be noticed in books as well
as in newspapers:
96
Morning Chronicle, London, 29 Mar. 1792 etc. See also Morning Herald,
London, 19 May 1792 (in The Irishman in London); and Morning Herald,
London, 26 May 1792 (in Kean’s Evening Lounge).
97
Morning Herald, London, 7 May 1792. The ticket price had increased from
the 5s of his earlier benefit in the same venue to 7s 6d: his stock had obviously
risen because of Oscar and Malvina.
98
Public Advertiser, London, 28 May 1792.
99
Gazeteer and New Daily Advertiser, London, 22 May 1792.
100
Morning Herald, London, 2 June 1792.
101
Diary or Woodfall’s Register, London, 1 Nov. 1792.