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Browse piano sheets by William Boyce on Zen Virtual Piano. William Boyce was a composer who worked as an organist and was named composer to the Chapel Royal in 1736. He was born in London to John Boyce, a joiner and cabinet-maker, and Elizabeth Cordwell. The birthplace was Joiners' Hall, then in Lower Thames Street. His father admitted him as a choirboy at St Paul's Cathedral in 1719. After his voice broke in 1727, Boyce studied music with Maurice Greene. His first professional appointment came in 1734, as an organist at the Oxford Chapel in central London. A choirboy place at St Paul's in 1719, beside a first professional post as an organist in 1734, may point to church music as the setting of his early career. Boyce's work as a composer began in the 1730s, writing songs for Vauxhall Gardens. In 1736 he wrote the oratorio David's Lamentation over Saul and Jonathan. Britannica says Cambridge awarded Boyce a doctorate of music in 1749, citing an ode he set by William Mason and his anthem "O Be Joyful." For many productions at the Drury Lane Theatre, David Garrick received songs and other music from Boyce during the 1750s. Garrick wrote the words of Heart of Oak for his 1759 pantomime Harlequin's Invasion, and the music for it is credited to Boyce. Songs for Vauxhall Gardens and music for the Drury Lane Theatre, beside his Chapel Royal post, may suggest a body of work that reached beyond the church. Britannica notes that Boyce's symphonies usually follow the Italian overture form of fast, slow, fast. Does the Chapel Royal appointment in 1736, set beside symphonies in the Italian overture form, hint at a composer whose output spanned more than one tradition? By 1758 Boyce's deafness had increased to such an extent that he was unable to continue in his organist posts. His answer was to stop teaching and retire to Kensington, where editing the church music collection that carries his name became his main work. According to Britannica, he had started publishing Cathedral Music, 3 vol. (1760-73). It was the first collection of church music in England after the Restoration, and the first printed in score. The organist appointment of 1734, beside the editing of Cathedral Music after 1758, may hint at a working life that moved from the organ to the desk. For the 1761 coronation of George III and Charlotte, he refused to make a new setting of Zadok the Priest, on the grounds that Handel's setting was unsurpassable. On 7 February 1779 Boyce died from an attack of gout, aged 67.
Browse piano sheets by William Boyce on Zen Virtual Piano.
William Boyce was a composer who worked as an organist and was named composer to the Chapel Royal in 1736. He was born in London to John Boyce, a joiner and cabinet-maker, and Elizabeth Cordwell. The birthplace was Joiners' Hall, then in Lower Thames Street. His father admitted him as a choirboy at St Paul's Cathedral in 1719. After his voice broke in 1727, Boyce studied music with Maurice Greene. His first professional appointment came in 1734, as an organist at the Oxford Chapel in central London. A choirboy place at St Paul's in 1719, beside a first professional post as an organist in 1734, may point to church music as the setting of his early career.
Boyce's work as a composer began in the 1730s, writing songs for Vauxhall Gardens. In 1736 he wrote the oratorio David's Lamentation over Saul and Jonathan. Britannica says Cambridge awarded Boyce a doctorate of music in 1749, citing an ode he set by William Mason and his anthem "O Be Joyful." For many productions at the Drury Lane Theatre, David Garrick received songs and other music from Boyce during the 1750s. Garrick wrote the words of Heart of Oak for his 1759 pantomime Harlequin's Invasion, and the music for it is credited to Boyce. Songs for Vauxhall Gardens and music for the Drury Lane Theatre, beside his Chapel Royal post, may suggest a body of work that reached beyond the church.
Britannica notes that Boyce's symphonies usually follow the Italian overture form of fast, slow, fast. Does the Chapel Royal appointment in 1736, set beside symphonies in the Italian overture form, hint at a composer whose output spanned more than one tradition?
By 1758 Boyce's deafness had increased to such an extent that he was unable to continue in his organist posts. His answer was to stop teaching and retire to Kensington, where editing the church music collection that carries his name became his main work. According to Britannica, he had started publishing Cathedral Music, 3 vol. (1760-73). It was the first collection of church music in England after the Restoration, and the first printed in score. The organist appointment of 1734, beside the editing of Cathedral Music after 1758, may hint at a working life that moved from the organ to the desk. For the 1761 coronation of George III and Charlotte, he refused to make a new setting of Zadok the Priest, on the grounds that Handel's setting was unsurpassable. On 7 February 1779 Boyce died from an attack of gout, aged 67.
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William Boyce was a composer who worked as an organist and was named composer to the Chapel Royal in 1736.
Heart of Oak has words by David Garrick, written for his 1759 pantomime Harlequin's Invasion, and the music for it is credited to Boyce.
Cathedral Music is a collection of church music that Boyce devoted himself to editing after his deafness ended his organist posts, and Britannica says it was the first collection of church music in England after the Restoration.
Boyce declined to write a fresh setting of Zadok the Priest when George III and Charlotte were crowned in 1761, holding that Handel's setting could not be surpassed.