DICTIONARY OF MUSIC - El Atril

394 HICKFOED'S ROOM HICKFOED'S ROOM
compositions, both vocal and instrumental, and
' several solos on the Violin never played before.'
Signora Stradiotti, a player on the harpsi-
cliord, ' who lias never yet performed since her
arrival in England, ' gave a concert on April 29.
Signer Pardini had a benefit on May 20 ; and the
Daily Courant of May 18 gives notice ' that the
concert for the benefit of Mr. Matthew Dubourg,
which was to have been at Mr. Hiokford's
school, is deferred to May 27.' Dubourg was
then eleven years old, and though he is reported
to have played in public at the age of eiglit,
he was evidently, in 1714 and long after, considered
an extraordinary youthful prodigy ; for
in the advertisements of his annual benefits
which for some years invariably took place at
Hickford's Room his age is always mentioned.
The development of cliamber music, and consequent
increase in tlie number of concerts, was
doubtless due very largely to the influence of
Handel, lately come to England with George I.
When Handel began his work of improving the
opera, and procured celebrated performers for
England, many of these, in addition to their
engagements at the opera, took the opportunity
of giving one or two concerts for their own
"benefit. The pati'ons of the opera could hardly
refuse to attend a concert given by some favourite
artist of the day, and Mr. Hickford's great
dancing-room soon became one of the fashionable
resorts of the town. In 1715 nine or ten con-
certs were given by and for various more or less
well-known people. But the first concert of
that year is thus advertised in the Daily Coiir-
ant of March 21 :— ' By
desire of several Ladies
of Quality. For the benefit of Mrs. Smith. At
the Great Room in James Street near the Haymarket,
on Wednesday next, being the 23rd
of March will be performed a compleat Consort
of Musick by the best Masters of the
Ojiera. ' Mrs. Smitli, or Betty Smith as she
was sometimes called, was wigmaker to the
o]')era for many years, and this was not the
only occasion on which tlie ' '
Ladies of Quality
desired and obtained for her a benefit at
ford's Room.
Hick-
On March 31 Valentini who, though not
singing at the opera, appears to have been in
England, held a benefit concert, at which he
was assisted by the gifted and fascinating
Anastasia Robinson. The Baroness was a very
faithful patroness of Hickford's Room tor many
years. At her benefit concerts she almost
always managed to introduce some new and
attractive instrumentalist, or some new compositions.
In tills year she announces ' a
Consort of Musick entirely new. Particularly
several solos on the violin by Mr. Alexander
Bitti, newly arrived from Italy.' Only two
other concerts of 1715 call for any particular
notice. Mr. Dubourg, mentioned as ' the youth
of 12,' held his annual benefit, playing several
solos, and a concert was given ' for the benefit
of a lady under misfortune.' This would seem
to mark the beginning of charity concerts, for
it is the first announcement of its kind. The
first concert of 1716 was a benefit for the
violinist Castrucoi, and may possibly have been
his first appearance in England, for he is
announced as being 'lately come from Italy.'
It is in the advertisements of this concert that
mention is first made of an entrance from
Panton Street into the room. Besides being
appointed leader at the opera, Castrucci quickly
obtained many concert engagements, and after
his first appearance at Hickford's Room he
played at most of the best concerts there for
some years. On March 15 he jierformed the
instrumental music at Signora Isabella Aubert's
concert, and again on March 21, for the benefit of
the Baroness, who on that occasion introduced
' several songs out of the opera Pyrrhus and
Demetrius'—
'to be sung in Italian and English.'
On April 12 there was a ball and masquerade
by Mr. Dumirail, together with
' several enter-
tainments of dancing performed by Mr. Dumirail
and his son, who is lately come from Paris, and
others. This being the last time of their 'appearing
in Publick before their return to Paris.'
' A
compleat Consort of Vocal and Instrumental
Musick by the best Masters of tlie Opera ' was
announced for tlie benefit of Signer Giorgio
Giacomo Berwillibald, 'Servant to his Serene
Highness the Margrave of Brandenburg Anspaeh.
Brother to Her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales.' This concert, originally
intended for May 21, was put off two or three
times on account of the opera, and was finally
given on June 9. Up to this period it was
usual for the concert season to terminate at the
end of May or in the middle of June, but in
1716 two entertainments at Hickford's Room
were given in December, one on the 13th, another
on the 20th. In 1717 the first concert recorded
was for the benefit of Castrucci on
March 13 ; and at another, on the 20th, for the
benefit of Signer Botelli ' lately arrived from
Italy' the celebrated Kicoliiii Grimaldi (see
NiconKi) is announced to sing ; possibly one
of his last performances in England. Dubourg
and the Baroness held their annual benefits as
usual in the Great Dancing-Room, as did Signer
Pietro, a player en the bass-viol and German
flute. These, with three or four less important
concerts, complete the tale for that year. Few
concerts are recorded in 1718, except the usual
annual benefits of the regular performers
Dubourg, Castrucci, etc., and the only apparent
novelties were these introduced at her concert
by Mile. Coraill, in the form of ' several new
songs by tlie famous Demenico Scarlatti, never
before performed in this Kingdom.' The concerts
of 1719 seem to have been mostly given
by various members of the opera band, including
the famous hautboy player Kytch, whose name
figures at several concerts, and who, at his own