Thomas Arne
1710 - 1778
British
Summary
His first composition of importance, ‘Rosamund’, took place in Lincoln’s Inn and was a great success, being repeated ten times. Three very successful masques followed in succession, the first, Comus’, which was performed at the Drury Lane Theatre, the second, ‘The Judgement of Paris’, performed at Cliveden in front of the Prince of Wales to celebrate the birthday of his daughter, and the third, The Masque of Althred’ which concludes with his well-known masterpiece ‘Rule Britannia’. In 1740 Arne composed the music for the first in a series of Shakespeare plays, ‘As you Like It’, ‘Twelfth Night’, ‘The Merchant of Venice’, ‘The Tempest’ and ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’.
Some of his greatest successes include his opera ‘Artaxerxes the Great’, at Covent Garden, and the masque ‘The Arcadian Nuptials’, written to celebrate the marriage of Princess Augusta. His hugely successful ‘Colin and Phoebe’ established him as a leading composer at the London pleasure gardens for over twenty years.
Arne was one of the most prolific composer’s of his day and, during his own lifetime, his works enjoyed greater success and popularity than any previous English composer, including Purcell. He was awarded a Doctorate in Music at Oxford University.
Biography
Thomas Arne was born in London in 1710. Discouraged from an early age by his father to become a musician, Arne left Eton to follow a career in law. However, after much persuasion from his friend and composer, Michael Festing, his father agreed that Arne should follow a career in music. He became a prolific composer of operas, which were frequently performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, masques and Shakespeare song settings.
His first composition of importance, ‘Rosamund’, took place in Lincoln’s Inn and was a great success, being repeated ten times. Three very successful masques followed in succession, the first, Comus’, which was performed at the Drury Lane Theatre, the second, ‘The Judgement of Paris’, performed at Cliveden in front of the Prince of Wales to celebrate the birthday of his daughter, and the third, The Masque of Althred’ which concludes with his well-known masterpiece ‘Rule Britannia’. In 1740 Arne composed the music for the first in a series of Shakespeare plays, ‘As you Like It’, ‘Twelfth Night’, ‘The Merchant of Venice’, ‘The Tempest’ and ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’.
Some of his greatest successes include his opera ‘Artaxerxes the Great’, at Covent Garden, and the masque ‘The Arcadian Nuptials’, written to celebrate the marriage of Princess Augusta. His hugely successful ‘Colin and Phoebe’ established him as a leading composer at the London pleasure gardens for over twenty years.
Arne was one of the most prolific composer’s of his day and, during his own lifetime, his works enjoyed greater success and popularity than any previous English composer, including Purcell. He was awarded a Doctorate in Music at Oxford University.
His first composition of importance, ‘Rosamund’, took place in Lincoln’s Inn and was a great success, being repeated ten times. Three very successful masques followed in succession, the first, Comus’, which was performed at the Drury Lane Theatre, the second, ‘The Judgement of Paris’, performed at Cliveden in front of the Prince of Wales to celebrate the birthday of his daughter, and the third, The Masque of Althred’ which concludes with his well-known masterpiece ‘Rule Britannia’. In 1740 Arne composed the music for the first in a series of Shakespeare plays, ‘As you Like It’, ‘Twelfth Night’, ‘The Merchant of Venice’, ‘The Tempest’ and ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’.
Some of his greatest successes include his opera ‘Artaxerxes the Great’, at Covent Garden, and the masque ‘The Arcadian Nuptials’, written to celebrate the marriage of Princess Augusta. His hugely successful ‘Colin and Phoebe’ established him as a leading composer at the London pleasure gardens for over twenty years.
Arne was one of the most prolific composer’s of his day and, during his own lifetime, his works enjoyed greater success and popularity than any previous English composer, including Purcell. He was awarded a Doctorate in Music at Oxford University.
Performances
There are no upcoming performances
Discography
- LabelDacapo Records
- Catalogue Number8.226136
- EnsembleEnsemble MidtVest
- Released5th July 2019
- Works
- LabelKairos
- Catalogue Number0015041KAI
- ConductorErnest Martínez Izquierdo
- EnsembleBilbao Orkestra Sinfonika
- SoloistAlfonso Gomez, Marta Zabaleta, Ramon Lazkano
- Released2019
- Works
- LabelDoyen
- Catalogue NumberDOYCD150
- ConductorNicholas Childs
- EnsembleBlack Dyke Band
- Works
- LabelChandos
- Catalogue NumberCHAN 10301
- ConductorRichard Hickox
- EnsembleJoyful Company of Singers / City of London Sinfonia
- SoloistJean Rigby mezzo-soprano, Mark Tucker tenor, Yvonne Kenny soprano, Claire Rutter soprano, Roderick Williams baritone
- Works
Whirl's World
Ramon Lazkano - Piano Works
Jewels in the Crown
Ruth
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