NEWCASTLE'S MUSICAL HERITAGE AN INTRODUCTION By ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

place. If in the last quarter of a century there has been a distinct change and if Newcastle has now, to a large extent, thrown off that record, much is due to the talents and the energy of Dr Rea ... He came to us, work-a-day community, distinctly behind-hand in the appreciation of the fine arts, because we had not had time, in the busy, bustling middle of the century, to think much about these things. He set himself the task of teaching the people to understand and appreciate good music, and assuredly, his labours have, in no slight degree, met their reward’ Three years after his death, his two sons, Charles Herbert and William Cecil, had a memorial headstone erected in memory of their father and the occasion was marked by a piece in the Newcastle Daily Chronicle on February 3 rd . ‘There has just been erected by his sons in the old Jesmond Cemetery a very interesting memorial to the late Dr William Rea, the eminent musician. This is a beautiful headstone 7 feet in height with a bronze medallion, life size surrounded by a wreath very artistically treated followed by an inscription in memory of Dr Rea and Mrs Rea and their 2 children who died young. The stone, which is a fine block of hard Portland limestone and which will retain its whiteness has been designed by Mr Rob North architect of Cliffords Inn and is based upon 18 th century work. The relief in bronze is by that eminent and distinguished sculptor, Mr Frank Derwent Wood, the aim being simple in design. The work was executed in London and sent in finished state. The memorial of Dr Rea will interest and will be much admired by his many friends and pupils who benefited so largely from his earnest and unselfish labours to cultivate a taste for classical ideas in music and to whom so many in the city and surroundings owe a great debt of gratitude for much of the advanced interest in the divine art.’ The piece went on to give a description of the details engraved on a memorial head stone, which are as follows: In Loving Memory of WILLIAM REA. MUS. DOC. Who devoted more than 40 years to cultivate a love of good music amongst the People of this City. Born, March 25 th 1827; died March 8 th 1903 And of his dearly beloved wife EMMA MARY Daughter of Wesley Stoker Woolhouse F.R.A.S. Born April 7 th 1835; died May 6 th 1893 Also their dear children who died in 1861 ELE<strong>AN</strong>OR GERTRUDE on March 10 aged six years EMMA BEATRICE on March 13 aged three years The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God. Wisdom, chap 3. 46
In a cemetery now largely overgrown and unattended William Rea’s gravestone, lies, broken in two halves; the only memorial to this outstanding musician, who dedicated the greater part of his life to sustaining some form of musical culture in the North East for the benefit of everyone. His overall contribution to the cultural life of the city has not yet been acknowledged by the City of Newcastle and I feel this is long overdue. 47
Page 1 and 2: NEWCASTLE’S MUSICAL HERITAGE AN I
Page 3 and 4: A History of Music in Newcastle upo
Page 5 and 6: my project with a professional man,
Page 7 and 8: then even in the villages for music
Page 9 and 10: CHAPTER TWO CHARLES AVISON Charles
Page 11 and 12: given in Newcastle. They were held
Page 13 and 14: easoned defences and the citation o
Page 15 and 16: that he is saddened at the transito
Page 17 and 18: men sought Royal Patronage, popular
Page 19 and 20: Avison and began playing the violin
Page 21 and 22: musical dramatist, his arias are st
Page 23 and 24: features, Hawdon’s compositions i
Page 25 and 26: two music academies listed in the D
Page 27 and 28: An ootlandish chap seun appeared on
Page 29 and 30: CHAPTER FIVE THE GRAND MUSIC FESTIV
Page 31 and 32: to Handel Oratorios and I suspect t
Page 33 and 34: CHAPTER SIX THE HARMONIC SOCIETY In
Page 35 and 36: would also have been audience parti
Page 37 and 38: 1826. According to Mackenzie’s 18
Page 39 and 40: successful, such as (once again!) H
Page 41 and 42: CHAPTER SEVEN DR WILLIAM REA I had
Page 43 and 44: exclusive civilised affairs, with t
Page 45: although I can find no evidence tha
Page 49 and 50: direction. That is until 1888 when
Page 51 and 52: acceptable standards and he got out
Page 53 and 54: century at least the divide between
Page 55 and 56: the Swedish Nightingale, Jenny Lind
Page 57 and 58: Musical Comedy as we came to know i
Page 59 and 60: In 1887 Augustus Harris took over t
Page 61 and 62: eat, drink or smoke whilst the ente
Page 63 and 64: disposal a substantial orchestra un
Page 65 and 66: only the finest artists. The printe
Page 67 and 68: Cesar Franck. One novel feature int
Page 69 and 70: especially for these bands and they
Page 71 and 72: playing, coupled with the means of
Page 73 and 74: that continued until 1914. One of t
Page 75 and 76: thought of performing with a bunch
Page 77 and 78: She danced a full programme of well
Page 79 and 80: The appearance in Newcastle of Enri
Page 81 and 82: Renaissance. His teaching staff wer
Page 83 and 84: Music at 125 Northumberland Street,
Page 85 and 86: There is surely no need to insist -
Page 87 and 88: alone limited attendance at these c
Page 89 and 90: 1936: 17 th June. There had been a
Page 91 and 92: CHAPTER FOURTEEN END OF A GOLDEN AG
Page 93 and 94: the fact that the town did not have
Page 95 and 96: iography, Hess’ biographer, who c
Page 97 and 98:
CHAPTER FIFTEEN CULTURE AT A PRICE
Page 99 and 100:
London Symphony and the Halle Orche
Page 101 and 102:
high at this period and the audienc
Page 103 and 104:
audience (who had already paid for
Page 105 and 106:
deterioration into a musical backwa
Page 107 and 108:
work cut out convincing the local c
Page 109 and 110:
country. Amers died in 1936 and God
Page 111 and 112:
Author’s Note Since completing th
Page 113 and 114:
Select Bibliography Anderton, H.O.,
show all

NEWCASTLE'S MUSICAL HERITAGE AN INTRODUCTION By ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?