J. S. BACH Jonathan Berkahn - Victoria University - Victoria ...

without displaying the more obvious chromaticism and word-painting of his
successors Stainer and Barnby. 19 But quasi-Handelian textures (especially when
writing fugally) remained a viable stylistic resource for English composers throughout
most of the nineteenth century.
At the opposite end of the cultural spectrum the various Nonconformist
denominations (Methodist, Baptist, Congregationalist, etc.) retained a strong
Handelian flavour as they developed their own musical traditions. 20 Sunday-schools
(which were also singing-schools) in particular became a focus of surprisingly
elaborate musical activity. Many ‘hymn-tunes’ approached the scale of little cantatas,
complete with instrumental interludes, solos, duets, and choruses. These composers
(Martin Madan, Thomas Jarman, C. W. Banister, and John Leach, among the most
prolific) developed a style that might be described as a sort of ‘coarse Handel’. Much
simpler in texture and harmony—sometimes very crude indeed—their music
nevertheless retained something of Handel’s florid rhetorical vigour. The influence of
this style reached as far as north America; the best-known example of all is probably
Ex.2.10, a hymn-tune by Lowell Mason (1792-1872) which is still widely assumed to
have been written by Handel himself: 21
19 W. J. Gatens, Victorian cathedral music in theory and practice (Cambridge University Press: 1986),
pp.115-16.
20 The Methodists were not of course literally a separate denomination until after John Wesley’s death
in 1791 (although this development became inevitable when he was forced to ordain his own priests
in 1784). Their musical traditions, however—largely as a result of the importance of Charles
Wesley’s hymns and the activities of J. F. Lampe and Martin Madan—were distinct from those of
the established church from the very beginning.
21 Other well known examples include ‘Lydia’, ‘Diadem’, ‘Helmsley’, ‘Sagina’ and ‘Lyngham’. These
are still popular, and can be found in most hymnbooks. Longer pieces, however, such as ‘Cheshunt
New’ (S. Arnold), ‘The Star of Bethlehem’ (C. W. Banister), and ‘Denmark’ (M. Madan), have
fallen out of use.
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