References to British Dance Instrumentation 1770s
Iconography
Teapot of earthenware transfer-printed in black enamel, printed in Liverpool, probably made in Staffordshire, c.1770, Victoria and Albert Museum, London http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O229071/teapot-and-cover-unknown/ Note this is very similar to http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O20493/two-children-dancing-to-a-tile-sadler-and-green/ dated c.1765-c.1775.
Richard Wilson, River Mouth with Peasants Dancing, 1770s, Victoria and Albert Museum, London http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O132106/landscape-composition-river-mouth-with-oil-painting-wilson-richard-ra/landscape-composition-river-mouth-with-oil-painting-wilson-richard/
‘High Life below Stairs’ (London: Carington Bowles, 17 July 1770), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_2010-7081-344
James Caldwall after John Collet, ‘The Cotillion Dance’ (London: Robert Sayer & John Smith, 10 March 1771), Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:30709
‘Boarding School Education, or the Frenchified Young Lady’ (London: Matthew Darly, 19 October 1771), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_J-5-79
‘The Masquerade Dance’ (London: Matthew Darly, 8 December 1771), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1865-0610-1104
James Caldwall after Michel Vincent Brandoin, ‘The Allemande Dance’ (London: John Smith & Robert Sayer, 20 March 1772), The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University https://hdl.handle.net/10079/digcoll/2754966
Henry Wigstead, [The Dancing Lesson], c.1773, The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University https://hdl.handle.net/10079/digcoll/2754551
‘The State Cotillon 1773’, plate from Westminster Magazine, vol. 1, p. 149 (London: W. Goldsmith, 1772-1773), The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University https://hdl.handle.net/10079/digcoll/941666
Charles White, ‘A Masquerade Scene in the Pantheon’ (London: Charles White, 13 March 1773), British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1862-1217-569
John Hamilton Mortimer, Rustick Dance, 1774, British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_Oo-5-10
‘The Mitred Minuet', plate from the London Magazine, vol. 43, p. 312 (London: J. Baldwin, 1774), The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University https://hdl.handle.net/10079/digcoll/291929
‘The Thistle Reel’, probably from the London Magazine of February 1775, vol. 44, p. 56, The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University https://hdl.handle.net/10079/digcoll/291993
Charles Loraine Smith, etched portrait of a fat man dancing while a thin man plays the fiddle, 2 November 1779, Harry Beard Print Collection, Victoria and Albert Museum, London http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1152854/h-beard-print-collection-print-smith-charles-loraine/
Documentary Sources
James Woodforde, The Ansford Diary of James Woodforde, vol. 4, ed. R.L. Winstanley ([S.I.]: The Parson Woodforde Society, 1986)
15 October 1770 [p. 141]
“M.r Rice the Harper played upon the Harp this Afternoon at M.r Creeds and also all the Evening – as we danced the whole Evening in the great Room before Supper – I danced several Minuets & Country Dances…”
23 October 1770 [p. 143]
“We all went in the Evening to Ansford Inn to hear M.r Rice play on the Welsh Harp…We each gave the Harper one Shilling apiece but myself as I gave him two & collected for him – 1:1:0…After Tea we had a Hopp till 10. then went to Supper below Stairs on a cold Collation and danced after till 1. o'clock Our Musick was nothing else but M.r Rice’s Harp, and we did very well by it – My Partner was the eldest Miss Francis, she dances but poorly & says but little – Agatha and Nancy Clarke the two Painters Daughters joined us before Supper & danced with us – We had the great Room to dance in At Ansford Inn…It was near two o’clock before we got home – however we spent a very agreeable Afternoon and Evening”
Note on 12 October 1770 James Woodforde described Mr Rice as “a Welshman who is lately come to Cary & plays very well on the Triple Harp” [p. 141]
5 January 1771 [p. 157]
“We had a hop this Evening at Lower House & danced till half an Hour after Eleven & then it ceased – I had a Bass Viol M.r Hooper, and a Violin one Ryal a very good hand to play to us – I gave them – 0:10:0…The Company seemed very well pleased with their Entertainment”
14 November 1771 [p. 238]
“I dined, supped & Spent the Evening with Sister Jane at Honeywicke at M.r Tuckers…There was dancing in the Evening, but I did not dance – I gave poor John Tally the Fiddler – 0:0:6”
James Woodforde, The Ansford Diary of James Woodforde, vol. 5, ed. R.L. Winstanley ([S.I.]: The Parson Woodforde Society, 1988)
2 January 1772 [p. 5]
“I had a private Hop or Dance this Evening…I had 2. Clarionettes, one French. Horn, 2 Violins & a Base [sic] Viol – but they were only 3 Hands, viz, M.r Hooper & two other of Hoopers Company – I gave the Musicians & they were well pleased – 0:10:6…We did not get to roost till near 3. in the morning.”
8 June 1772 [p. 43]
“I supped & spent the Evening & made it quite late at D.r Clarkes…they got to dancing after Supper Miss Pynes Musick Master, one M.r Everdale who plays exceeding well on the Violin, played to them – He teaches the eldest Miss Pyne on the Guitar”
Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette 10 October 1771
The Ridotto of Bath: A Panegyrick, being an Original Epistle from Timothy Screw [by Richard Brinsley Sheridan]
…
“Nay more – there was some this grand Ball to adorn,
Whose husbands were puffing above at the horn:
O spare not your Cornu’s! Secure ye may blow –
Your spouses are planning you fresh ones below:
But sure I was charm’d to behold little Rona
Jig it down all in time to her husband’s cremona;
While he, happy mortal, at sight of his love,
In sympathy beat the balcony above.
But, silence yet hautboys! ye fiddles be dumb!
Ye dancers stop instant – THE HOUR is come”
Kenneth Edward James, “Concert Life in Eighteenth-Century Bath” (PhD diss., Royal Holloway, University of London, 1987)
Extracts from the Proceedings of the Committee for Managing the New Assembly Rooms in Bath (Appendix D)
7 June 1771 [pp. 1051-1052]
“Resolved that Messrs Linley, John Brooks, William Rogers, James Brooks, Daniel Miller, T. Grant, James Cantelo, Taverner Wilkey, John Bassett, and Alexander Herchall’s [sic] proposals for performing on their respective Instruments at the Balls at the new Rooms, on Monday’s and Thursday’s be accepted. Also the said performers proposals for playing at the Concerts, together with those of Miss Linley, Mr. Lindley Junr, and Mr Wm Herchall [sic] be likewise accepted.”
18 June 1771 [p. 1052]
“Resolved That Mr Rogers Junr be added to the band of Musick for the Balls, and Concerts at ten shillings and six pence per Night.”
NOTE: John Brooks was a cellist; both elder and younger William Rogers were string players but were also proficient on horn and trumpet; James Brooks was a violinist; Daniel Miller was possibly a bassoonist; James Cantelo played oboe and flute; John Bassett was a violinist; and Alexander Herschel was proficient on cello, violin, oboe and clarinet.
21 April 1772 [p. 1052]
“For the Ball. We whose Names are underwritten do agree to attend at the New Assembly Rooms to play at the Balls on Mondays and Thursdays in the Next ensuing Seasons. The Terms as Usual.
[Signed] John Bassett, Jno Grant, Mr. Brooks and Son, James Cantelo, Taverner Wilkey, Daniel Miller.”
NOTE: John Grant was a violinist
2 May 1775 [pp. 1053-1054]
“We the under mention’d Musicians do Agree to attend at the New Rooms, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from the Month of October 1775 to the Month of June 1776 to play at the Balls, Concerts on the Usual Terms. Except as hereafter.
[Signed]
Balls: James Cantelo, Daniel Miller, John Bassett, Taverner Wilkey, Jno Brooks, Jas Brooks, Wm Rogers Snr, Wm Rogers Jnr, Alex. Herschel, J. Grant.”
London Evening Post 12-15 June 1773
“Among the sundry fashionable routs or clubs that are held in town, that of the Black or Negro servants is not the least: On Thursday night no less than 59 of them, men and women, supped, drank, and entertained themselves with dancing and music; consisting of violins, French horns, and other instruments, at a public-house in South-wark. No Whites were allowed to be present, for all the performers were Blacks.”
Note this is an almost verbatim replication of a notice that appeared in the London Chronicle 16-18 February 1764.
Donald Burrows and Rosemary Dunhill, Music and Theatre in Handel's World: The Family Papers of James Harris 1732‐1780 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002)
Letter from Elizabeth Harris [London] to James Harris Jr [Berlin], 2 March 1773 [G1260/6] [p. 716]
“A few evenings ago some company were rehearsing quadriles [sic] at Mrs Hobarts in St James’s Square[;] Slingsby is the master[.] It did not go right[:] Lord Edward Bentinck took up a fiddle to instruct the music and in dancing backward struck the fiddle against Slingsby’s throat, who instantly fell down, and to all appearance quite dead. There were several gentlemen, and servants sent out for surgeons[;] Hawkins and another made their appearances in less than five minutes, and Slingsby recover’d[;] his first words were “pray ladies[,] go on with the dance”. The surgeons say the fiddle struck his wind pipe and [if] he had any kind of liquid in his throat it would have been instant death.”
Letter from Elizabeth Harris [London] to James Harris Jr [Berlin], 9 April 1773 [G1260/12] [pp. 724-725]
“Wednesday we were at an assembly at Mrs Somers Cocks[;] soon quited [sic] that for Lady Gideons where we were invited to hear three blind Italians[,] two of whom play the fiddle and sing[,] the other plays a violoncello[.] They are extraordinary in their way[;] one man realy [sic] sings well, and in the burletta stile equal to Lovatini[.] There were several ladies sung, Lady Montfort, Miss Stanhope[,] Miss Wilmott, two Miss Forrests, Louisa &c. At eleven the room began to thin[.] Soon after that a private party of about a hundred and fifty of us went down to supper…There would have been a ball to begin at one, but the Italians could not play country dances, and it was too late to send for other fiddlers, so between one and two we came away.”
Letter from Elizabeth Harris, Salisbury, to James Harris Jr [Berlin], 5 December 1773 [G1260/37] [p. 749]
“Tuesday this house was open’d, fifteen at dinner, in the evening above three-score[;] ours soar’d no higher than a cottillion [sic] party & cards for the elders[.] We had Lord Pembroke, the family from Longford Castle, Lady Clanrickard and two Lady de Burghs[.] They danc’d two cottillion setts in the chaple [sic] room & one in the breakfast room[;] they never danc’d to such music[,] for the whole band assisted & your father kept them in due order[.] They began at six and ended by eleven[;] in the course of the evening many cottillions, minuets and country dances were danc’d, and except one single country dance the music was all compos’d at Salisbury and by Mr Bouverie[.] Four minuets are compos’d[.] Two by your father[,] one of which is call’d Lady Charlotte Herberts, the other Miss Duncombs[;] two more by Benson Earle, one calld [sic] Miss Harris’s, the other Miss Louisa Harris’s[.] If your Prussian Princesses or Comtes can dance and your musicians can play in parts[,] these minuets are at your service.”
Letter from Elizabeth Harris, Salisbury, to James Harris Jr [Berlin], 12 November 1775 [G1262/32] [p. 862]
“At present we go on merrily dancing for ever….Thursday was the common assembly that you know ends at eleven, and away goes the fiddlers. Then Benson Earle mounts the scaffolding and plays cotillons on the organ[,] to which music all the masters and misses dance for near an hour…Yesterday we spent at the Earles[:] that was tolerably quiet, and so will this day be, unless they dance cotillons in the church this afternoon, to their favorite instrument the organ."
Letter from Elizabeth Harris, Salisbury, to James Harris Jr [Berlin], 25 August 1776 [G1263/29] [p. 905]
“Lord Pembroke sent his regimental band here yesterday[:] they are Germans and play well. They so animated the Dean of Sarum, Mrs Earle, Mrs Sympson and your father that they gott [sic] [up] and danc’d. Mr Bowles would have danc’d with Mrs Ridding but he could not gett [sic] of[f] his spurs.”
Letter from the Duke and Duchess of Queensbury, Amesbury, to James Harris, c.11 September 1776 [G555/4] [p. 907]
“The Duke and Dutchess of Queensberry’s compliments to Mr and Mrs Harris, and all their company[.] Very good beds will be provided for them all….As to the hour of their coming, we say as soon after six as they please….Mr Harrisses handy two men are very much invited, not forgetting two casess [sic] of knives, forks, and spoons. As to his equipage, we would advise him to send it to his own conveineincy [sic] at Durnford. The music is a very essential point[.] I desire to have no more than four of them[;] this is a point which I have grumbled over many times, I therfore [sic] wish Mr Harris would settle with them[.] There must certainly be two fiddles[.] a hautboy, and a grubling bass. As to the music they are doomd to go back as they come, as nothing can possibly accomodate [sic] them, except their good stars.”
The Duke and Duchess gave a ball at Amesbury on 11 September 1776, which the Harris family attended and which included country dances, as reported in the Salisbury Journal 16 September 1776.
Letter from Elizabeth Harris, Salisbury, to Gertrude Harris, St Petersburg, 24 December 1777 [PRO30/43/2/60] [pp. 965-966]
“Saturday [week] is to be our great assembly. Louisa was determin’d to out[do] you or your brother in filling the house, for she has invited every individual [-] men, women and children [-] that we visit and we have hardly received any put offs. They are to dance in the chaple [sic]. Cards in the parlours, and library[.] We shall have all the music, though we ought to learn oconom[y.] [sic] A lady of Scotch quality in the Close, who has la[tely] given a ball and had no other music than Mrs Legg[e’s] footman and the first man in the Regimental, an[other who cou]ld not or would not play country dances and Mrs [Legge’s] man could not play above three or four.”
Wilhlemina Q. Ramas, “Private Theatricals of the Upper Classes in Eighteenth-Century England,” (PhD diss., Fordham University, New York, 1969)
January 1777, Bolney Court [pp. 144-145]
Private theatrical performances of The Provok’d Husband and Pygmalion as the afterpiece, staged by George Mason-Villiers, Viscount Villiers:
“On the final evening, the after-piece was succeeded by a musical surprise number consisting in a burlesque of stage dancing performed by Mr. Churchill, dressed as a young woman and partnered by Mr. Englefield, to the violin accompaniment of M. Le Texier, dressed as an old woman.”
Letter from Francis Ferrand Foljambe at Rufford to his father, 4 January 1777, DD/FJ/11/1/3/140-141, Nottinghamshire archives
“We got the Fidlers [sic] last night & had an exceeding good dance. I think we made up nine or ten Couple. I fancy we shall continue the Practice all next Week.”
General Evening Post, 4-7 October 1777, quoted in Brian Crosby, “Private Concerts on Land and Water: The Musical Activities of the Sharp Family, c.1750-c.1790,” Royal Musical Association Research Chronicle 34 (2001)
Wicken Park, home of Elizabeth Prowse (née Sharp) [pp. 57-58]
“Mr. Sharp, and his amiable family, were, luckily for me, on a visit to their benevolent relation at Wicken Park; and on Tuesday se’nnight, after having dined, and drank tea, the air being serene…an information being brought, that the labourers with the harvest home would soon arrive, a resolution was immediately taken by the company to go and meet them with their musical instruments, and make a little party of festivity on that occasion…On their meeting with the last waggon…covered with children, a little procession was formed: 1st, the livery servants of the family, two and two; next, all the ladies; thirdly, the band of music, consisting of clarinets by Messrs. W. and G. Sharp, a serpent by Mr. J. Sharp, a hautboy by Mr. S---n, and two French horns by the principal domestics; lastly, the harvest waggon, after which followed all the labourers, men and women. A march was played by the band, which was answered by huzzas from all the labourers and children in the waggon, and so continued alternately till they arrived at the spot where the stacks were to be made, when a circle was formed, and the original song of “Harvest-Home” was sung by Miss Catherine Sharp, Miss F. Sharp, Mr. Sharp, and chorused by the whole company. A rural dance was then performed by Miss Catherine, in which the labourers, &c. were but barely prevent from joining…”
“The intervening days from this period…were spent in the pleasing task of preparing a FETE CHAMPETRE, for the entertainment of the above family and some select friends in the neighbourhood…The rural band of music having been made out by the ladies, gentlemen, &c. they performed some select pieces while the company were assembling; particularly a sonata by Bach, songs by Miss C. Sharp, accompanied by the harpsichord, violins, flutes, &c. a hautboy solo by Mr. S---n, and two glees sung by the whole as a chorus…A tent was pitched in the gardens…and the jovial party diverted themselves for some time with a variety of rural amusements. A minuet, danced on the grass-plat by Miss C. Sharp and Mr. W. Sharp, soon after attracted the attention of us all. After this, ten couple stood up, and joined in an alternate country-dance, in a new manner, the dance being commenced by the center couple, by which the whole set was employed together, and the movement was prevent from becoming tedious. The second part of the concert was a short time after executed in a masterly manner by our accomplished performers.”
Brian Robins, ed., The John Marsh Journals: The Life and Times of a Gentleman Composer (1752-1828), Sociology of Music No. 9 (Stuyvesant, NY: Pendragon Press, 1998)
15 [January] 1778 [p. 175]
“On the 15th tho’ concert day, we were all invited to another dance at Dr Hancocks, w’ch I co’d have wish’d to be excused from but the Dr. not chusing to let me off, we all went when Misses Grubbe Bowles M. Hancock & my sister took their turns in playing the dances on the piano forte & Mr Wilson & I did the same in accompanying them on the flute & fiddle – in w’ch we soon got so joyous that for once I sho’d not have regretted the loss of a concert, had not somebody come in between 8 & 9, who had been at the 1st. Act & said that I was very much miss’d as neither Mr Tewksbury or Mr Chafy being there they wish’d for me to lead, that Merrifield might take the principal bass, who for want of my coming was obliged to lead. – The losing such an opportunity to lead the Concert (w’ch seldom happen’d above once in a twelvemonth) was so great a mortification that I determin’d in future never to engage myself upon a concert night. – By way of keeping up the spirits of the dancers & performers on the piano forte etc. the Doct’r soon brought in 2 bowls of punch of different qualities & put them on the piano forte, the one being label’d forte & the other piano. He however finding the forte bowl nearly exhausted was obliged to convert the other (which was scarcely tasted) into the same quality of tone…”
Fritz [Frederick] Robinson to Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Grantham, 16 June 1778, L30/14/333/103, Wrest Park (Lucas) Archive, Bedfordshire archives
“I staid in Shelton street till it was almost too late to go Ly Gowers, where I found an assembly & an odd kind of ball, I say odd, because there was no musick but a harp, & none but Ladys danced owing to the scarcity & Laziness of the young men, half a Perigordine Mr Burrel [?] & Mr Grenville got through, but others & minuets I saw danced entirely by Ladys.”