Polly Young facts for kids

Polly Young (also known as Mary Young or Maria Young) was a talented English singer, composer, and keyboard player. She was born on July 7, 1749, and passed away on September 20, 1799. Polly came from a very musical family in England. Many of her relatives were professional singers and organists. Her husband, François-Hippolyte Barthélémon, was a composer and violinist. Their daughter, Cecilia Maria Barthélemon, also became a composer and opera singer.

Biography

A Family of Musicians

Polly Young was born in Covent Garden, London, on July 7, 1749. Her father, Charles Young, worked at the Treasury. Polly was the youngest of three daughters. Her older sister Isabella became a successful soprano singer. Her other sister Elizabeth was a successful contralto singer.

Polly's family had many famous musicians. Her grandfather, Charles Young, and great-uncle, Anthony Young, were well-known organists and composers. She also had three famous aunts who were all singers. Her aunt Cecilia was one of the best English sopranos of the 1700s. She was married to the composer Thomas Arne. Their son, Michael Arne, was also a successful composer. Polly's aunt Isabella was a soprano married to composer John Frederick Lampe. Her aunt Esther was a famous contralto. She was married to Charles Jones, a music publisher.

Early Talent and Performances

Polly Young was a child prodigy. This means she was very talented from a young age. She started performing as a singer and harpsichordist when she was little. In 1755, when she was just 6 years old, she traveled to Ireland. She went with her aunt Cecilia and Thomas Arne.

In Ireland, Polly performed for audiences in Dublin. She sang in Arne's opera Eliza. People were very impressed by her singing "perfectly in Time and Tune." Polly stayed in Ireland for seven years. She studied music with her aunt and performed in concerts and plays. In 1758, a friend of Mrs. Arne said, "the race of Youngs are born songsters and musicians." This was after hearing Polly play the harpsichord. In 1761, she played the role of Ariel in William Shakespeare's The Tempest. This was at the Smock Alley Theatre. Playwright John O'Keeffe loved her performance. He praised her "charming face and small figure."

London Debut and Marriage

In September 1762, Polly Young returned to London. She made her first appearance on the London stage. This was at the Covent Garden theatre. She sang and played the harpsichord between acts of plays. The Theatrical Review newspaper wrote about her charming and innocent look. They said, "Her performance on the harpsichord, is equal to her excellence in singing."

Polly continued to perform at Covent Garden for two more seasons. Then, in 1764, she sang smaller parts with an Italian opera company. This was at the King's Theatre. There, she met François-Hippolyte Barthélémon. He was a French violinist and composer. He was also the leader of the orchestra. Polly and François fell in love. They got married in December 1766.

Life After Marriage and European Tours

After her marriage, Polly mostly performed with her husband. They appeared in Italian operas and oratorios. They also performed at the pleasure gardens, which were popular entertainment spots. Polly also started to compose and publish her own music. In 1776, she published six sonatas for harpsichord or piano and violin. She used the name Maria Barthélemon for these works.

The Barthélemons often traveled to Ireland to perform. They also had a very successful tour of Europe in 1776–77. During this tour, Polly sang in her husband's oratorio Jefte in Florence. They also gave concerts for important people. These included Marie Antoinette and her sister Maria Carolina of Austria, who was the Queen of Naples. Their daughter, Cecilia Maria, also sang in these performances. The family continued to do well after returning to London in 1777. They gave many praised concerts across the city.

Later Career and Compositions

In the 1780s, the Barthélemons found it harder to get work. Polly wrote a letter to The Morning Post newspaper in 1784. She complained that she was being refused engagements. She called herself "an English Woman, of an unblemished reputation." Despite these challenges, the Barthélemons remained connected to important music circles in London. The famous composer Haydn visited them in 1792 when he was in England. In May of that year, he played with Polly in a London concert. She sang songs by Handel and Sacchini.

In 1786, Polly published six English and Italian songs. Later, the Barthélemons started attending a chapel near their home. This was at the Asylum for Female Orphans. There, they were greatly influenced by a preacher named Duché. This influence led Polly to compose and publish many hymns and anthems. In 1795, she composed three hymns and three anthems. These were for use at the Magdalen Chapels and the Asylum. That same year, she composed The Weaver's Prayer. This was for a concert that raised money to help weavers who had lost their jobs. She also composed an ode (a type of poem set to music) about the king's safety.

Works

• 6 Sonatas for Keyboard and Violin, Op.1 (1776)
• 6 English and Italian Songs, Op.2 (1786)
• 3 Hymns and 3 Anthems, Op.3 (1795)
• The Weaver's Prayer, Op.4 (1795)
• Ode on the Preservation of the King, Op.5 (1795)