Thomas Roseingrave facts for kids

St George's, Hanover Square, where Thomas Roseingrave became the organist in 1725

Thomas Roseingrave (born around 1690 or 1691 – died June 23, 1766) was a talented composer and organist. He was born in England, just like his father, Daniel Roseingrave, who was also a musician. Thomas later became a well-known figure in Irish music.

Early Life and Musical Journey

Thomas Roseingrave was born in Winchester, England, where his father was the organist at the Cathedral. However, Thomas spent his younger years in Dublin, Ireland. There, he learned music from his father, who was the organist at both St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin and Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.

In 1707, Thomas started studying at Trinity College. A few years later, in 1710, he received money from St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin to travel to Italy. The goal was to help him "improve himself in the art of music."

Meeting a Master in Italy

While in Venice, Italy, Thomas met a famous harpsichord player named Domenico Scarlatti. Thomas was incredibly impressed by Scarlatti's playing. He even followed Scarlatti to other cities like Naples and Rome. Years later, Thomas helped make Scarlatti's music popular in England by publishing some of his harpsichord sonatas. This led to many people in England becoming big fans of Scarlatti's work.

Thomas wrote several pieces of music while in Italy, including a church song called an anthem and a singing piece called a cantata. He returned to England in 1717.

Back in England

In 1720, Thomas helped put on Scarlatti's opera, Amor d'un'ombra e gelosia d'un'aura, at the Haymarket Theatre. He renamed it Narciso and even added two of his own songs (called arias) and two singing parts for two people (called duets).

In 1725, Thomas became the organist at St George's, Hanover Square. He was known for being very good at making up music on the spot, especially complex pieces called fugues. He also greatly admired the music of Palestrina and was skilled at writing music with multiple independent melodies playing at the same time, known as counterpoint. According to a famous music historian named Charles Burney, Thomas could read and play even the most difficult music just by looking at it.

Later Years and Challenges

By the 1730s, Thomas Roseingrave was at the peak of his musical abilities. However, his successful career took a difficult turn. He fell in love with a young lady, but her father would not let her marry a musician. This disappointment deeply affected Thomas. Reports say his behavior sometimes became strange, and he started to neglect his duties.

Eventually, in 1747, he moved back to Dublin, Ireland. He lived with his nephew William in Dún Laoghaire. During his retirement in Ireland, he mostly stayed out of the public eye. One notable exception was the only performance of his opera Phaedra and Hippolitus in Dublin on March 6, 1753. Thomas Roseingrave passed away in Dún Laoghaire in 1766 and was buried in his family's grave at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.

His Musical Style

Thomas Roseingrave's best musical works are his pieces for keyboard instruments. What's interesting is that these pieces don't sound much like the music from other European composers of his time. While his harpsichord music sometimes shows a little influence from Scarlatti, his organ pieces are more similar to the English style of composers like Purcell and Blow.

His music often uses many notes that are not in the main scale (called "chromatic"), which can make it sound a bit unusual or "dissonant." The way his music is structured can also be a bit unpredictable, with "irregular phrasing and form." This suggests that his written pieces might have come from the music he used to make up on the spot, which he was so famous for. He also wrote pieces for the flute and Italian cantatas.

Some people during his time criticized his music, saying it had "harsh" sounds and "extravagant" changes in key. This was because most English composers in the 18th century were adopting a new, simpler style of music, often influenced by Handel and the "galant" style. So, Thomas Roseingrave's music, with its complex harmonies and forms, might have seemed too intellectual or old-fashioned to many listeners of his time.

In the 20th century, people started to appreciate Thomas Roseingrave's music more. A composer named Constant Lambert was particularly enthusiastic about his work and even helped publish modern versions of some of his pieces.

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  St George's, Hanover Square, where Thomas Roseingrave became the organist in 1725