DICTIONARY OF MUSIC - El Atril

418 HOLBORNE HOLCOMBE
influences at work ;
for his artistic instinct was
sure even where his knowledge was limited.
These works are Musical History, Biography, and
Criticism, 1835 ; Memoirs of tJie Musical Dravia,
1838 ; a revised edition of the same, called
Memoirs of the Opera, 1851 ; The Birmingham
Festival, 1855 ; and The Philharmonic Society,
from its foundation in IS13 to its 50th year in
1862, a history he was well qualified to undertake,
owing to his connection with the Society
as secretary from 1850 to 1864. Other literary
works are mentioned in the Diet, of Nat. Biog.
His musical compositions comprise ballads, glees,
and editions of standard English songs.
Hogarth died on Feb. 12, 1870, in his eightyseventh
year, and was buried in Kensal Green
Cemetery. L. M. M.
HOLBORNE, Axtomy and William. There
was published in 1597 a work bearing the title
of 'The Cittharn Schoole, by Antony Holbonie,
Gentleman, and seruant to her most excellent
Maiestie. Hereunto are added sixe short Aers
Neapolitan like to three voyces, without the Instrument
: done by his brother, William Holborne.
' It is dedicated to Thomas, Lord Burgh,
Baron Gainsburghe. In the Preface the author
says he was induced to publish these early works
in consequence of some stranger having put forth
' corrupt copies of them. The Cittharn Schoole '
contains thirty-two pieces (preludes, pavans,
galliards, popular song tunes, etc.) for the cittharn
alone, in tablature ; twenty-three others
for the cittharn with an accompaniment, in
ordinary notation, for bass viol ; and two more
for the cittharn, with accompaniments for treble,
tenor and bass viols. The six ' Aers ' by William
Holborne are stated to be ' the first fruites of
Composition ' done by him. The second of them
spieaks of ' Bonny Boots ' as dead, agreeing in
that respect with one of Morley's ' Canzonets,
or. Little Short Aers to five and sixe voices,'
published in the same year. ' The Cittharn
unnoticed prior to 1847, when Dr.
Schoole ' was
Eimbault partially described it in his Bibliotheca
Madrigaliana, from a copy, presumably unique,
then in his possession, but now in the library of
the Royal College of Music. [Music by Antony
Holborne is also in Dowland's Varietie of Lute
Zessons (1610), and he is there called Gentleman
Usher to Queen Elizabeth. A duet, ' My
Heavy Sprite,' is in Dowland's MusicoJ Banquet
(1610), and commendatory verses by him are
prefixed to Morley's Plaine and Easie Introd.
(1595 and 1608), and to Farnaby's Canzonets,
1598.] w. H. H.
HOLBROOKE, Jo-sef (originally Joseph
Holbrook), was born at Croydon on July 6,
1878. He studied at the Royal Academy of
Music, his principal teachers being F. Corder
for composition, and Frederick Westlake for
the pianoforte. Since leaving the Academy in
1898 he has devoted himself entirely to composition
and has come frequently before the
public, principally as a composer of orchestral
music of pronounced modern tendencies. His
first important work to be performed was a tone
poem entitled 'The Raven,' after Poe, filayed
at the Crystal Palace Concerts in 1900. This
was the first of a series of symphonic poems of
unusual interest. It was followed by the ' Ode
to Victory ' (Byron), ' '
The Skeleton in Armour
(Longfellow), ' Ulalurae ' (Poe), (London Symphony
Concert, Nov. 26, 1904), 'Queen Mab'
(Shakesi)eare), (Leeds Festival, 1904), and 'The
Masque of the Red Death ' (Poe). His other
orchestral works include an overture entitled
' The New Renaissance,' and three fantastic sets
of variations on tlie following popular melodies :
'Three Blind Mice,' 'The Girl I Left Behind
Me,' and ' Auld Lang Syne.' Of his choral
works the most important is his setting of ' The
Bells,' which at the date of writing has not yet
been performed. He has also written a large
quantity of chamber music and some songs and
smaller instrumental piieces. In these smaller
forms it can scarcely be said that he is entirely
successful, his methods adapting themselves
only with ditficulty to their narrow limits.
Neither can it be said that he has as yetfurnished
evidence that he possesses the jjeculiar temperament
that can find its expression through the
medium of chamber music. His works in this
branch almost invariably leave one with the
impression that they could with advantage be
scored for full orchestra. It is in his orchestral
musicthathehas asserted himself as athoroughly
characteristic and independent member of the
younger group of British composers. He possesses
a vivid imagination of that type which is
readily stimulated by the intensely tragic, and
occasionally drifts into that debatable territory
which divides the morbid from the grotesque.
It is not without significance that so many of
his works are based upon the •(vritings of Edgar
Allan Poe, and that these are to be reckoned
the most successful. His orchestration, like
his construction, is always bold and occasionally
sensational. If at times it threatens to become
turgid, the defect must be attributed to the
impetuosity with which the eff'ects are produced,
nor is it out of keeping with most of the subjects
illustrated. e. e.
HOLCOMBE, Hexrt, born about 1690, probably
at Salisbury, where he was a chorister.
He came to London while a boy, and sang in the
Anglo-Italian operas at DruryLane as Prenesto
in 'Camilla' (1706, 1708), and the Page in
'Rosamond' (1707). On the breaking of his
voice he left the stage and became a teacher of
the harpsichord and singing, in which he was
very successful. He died in London about 1750.
Holcombe issued as op. 1 six solos for a violin
in 1745, and about the same year published
two collections of songs, viz. ' The Musical
Medley ; or, A Collection of English Songs
and Cantatas set to Musick, ' and ' The Garland ;