Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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112 ROBERTS ROBINSON
of 'Calliope,' thirty or forty years afterwards, the London Church Choir Association Festival
came into possession of Longman & Broderip, in 1894 ; about fifty anthems, besides partsongs,
and organ pieces. His Practical Method
who reprinted from them. Roberts's other
famous work is
'
Clio and Euterpe, ' precisely of Training Choristers, 1898, 1900, and 1905,
similar in style, which, issued in two volumes, is very useful. w. B. s.
bears the dates 1758 and 1759. A later edition ROBIN ADAIR. [See Eileen Akoon, vol.
has a third volume added, and is dated 1 762. i. p. 770.]
A fourth was again added when re-issued by ROBIN DBS BOIS. The title of the French
John Welcker. Henrjr Roberts kept a music version of Der ' Freischiitz ' at its first appearance
in Paris (Od&n, Dec. 7, 1824 ;
and a print-shop in Holborn ' near Hand Alley
Operaalmost
opposite Great Turnstile.' His name is Comique, Jan. 15, 1835 ;
Lyrique, Jan. 24,
attached as engraver to several pieces of decorative
engraving on music-sheets. f. k. the names of the characters were changed, the
1855). The libretto was made by Sauvage ;
ROBERTS, John, composer of sacred music, action and the story were altered, portions of
bom in Wales, Dec. 22, 1822.
'
Before 1839 Preciosa and Oberon ' ' ' were introduced, and
he had adopted the name ' leum Gwyllt.' the piece was made to end happily. The
He removed to Liverpool and became editor alterations were due to Castil Blaze, who, to
of a Welsh newspaper, besides writing upon save expense, scored the music himself from a
musical matters. In 1858 he again returned PF. copy. Nevertheless, with all these drawbacks,
so great was the popularity of the music
to Wales, and at Aberdare set up as a music
teacher. On Jan. 10, 1859, he founded there that Castil Blaze made a large sum of money
the first of a long series of Welsh musical by it. For the translation by Pacini and
festivals, and in the same year published a Berlioz see FkeisohOtz, vol. ii. p. 107. G.
tune -book, 'Llyfr Touau,' which was much ROBIN HOOD. An opera in. three acts
used throughout Wales, and passed through words by John Oxenford, music by G. A. Macfarren.
Produced at Her Majesty's Theatre,
many editions. Roberts was a strong advocate
of temperance, and preached as a Calvinistic London, Oct. 11, 1860, and had a very great
Methodist. He died May 6, 1877. [Information
principally from Diet. Nat. Biog.\ F. K. Other operas on the same subject have been
run. G.
ROBERTS, J. Vaeley, Mus.D., native of produced, besides many masques of the 16th
Stanningley, near Leeds, bom Sept. 25, 1841. and 17th centuries, more or less associated
He early exhibited much ability for music, and with the May Day games and observances ;
at twelve was appointed organist of S. John's, of these early pieces little record as to detail
Farsley, near Leeds. In 1862 he became has survived.
organist of S. Bartholomew's, Armley, and in A ballad opera of the name was acted at Lee
1868 organist and choirmaster of the parish & Harper's great booth, at St. Bartholomew's
church, Halifax. In 1 8 7 1 he graduated Mus. B. Fair, in 1730 ; the music and libretto of this
and in 1876 Mus.D., at Christ Church, Oxford. was published by John Watts in the year of
During his organistship at Halifax, upwards of production. A different ' Robin Hood, ' by Moses
£3000 was raised to enlarge the organ, originally
built by Snetzler—the instrument upon the music being supplied by Charles (afterwards
Mendez, was performed at Drury Lane in 1750,
which Sir William Hersohel, the renowned Dr.) Burney. Another English ballad opera
astronomer, formerly played—and it is now in three acts, which attained some degree of
one of the finest and largest in the North of fame, was entitled 'Robin Hood, or Sherwood
England. In 1876 Dr. Roberts became a Fellow Forest.' This was written by Leonard Macof
the Royal College of Organists, London. Nally, with the music selected, arranged, and
In 1882 he was elected organist at Magdalen composed by William Shield. It was produced
College, Oxford, succeeding Mr. (now Sir at Covent Garden Theatre in 1784, the principals
being Mrs. Kennedy, Mrs. Martyr, Mrs.
Walter) Parratt. In 1884 the University Glee
and Madrigal Society was founded under his Banister, and Miss Kemble, while the male
oonductorship. In 1885-93 he was organist singers were Banister, Johnstone, and Edwin.
of St. Giles's, Oxford, and in the former year The piece had a considerable run, and several
was appointed examiner in music to the Oxford of the songs lasted in popularity long after the
Local Examinations, and also became conductor opera itself was dead. p. k.
of the Oxford Choral Society. In 1883 he was ROBINSON, Anastasia, born about 1698,
appointed one of the University examiners for was daughter of a portrait painter, who, becoming
blind, was compelled to qualify his children
musical degrees. In 1907 he presented a new
organ to his native village of Stanningley. His to gain their own livelihood. Anastasia received
compositions include sacred cantatas, Jonah, instruction from Dr. ' Croft, Pier Giuseppe
for voices and orchestra; 'Advent,' 'The Story Sandoni, and the singer called The Baroness,
of the Incarnation,' 'The Passion,' for church
choirs ; Psalm ciii. for voices and orchestra ; six
services, one an evening service in C written for
successively. She appeared in ' Creso,' in 1714 ;
as Ariana in Handel's 'Amadigi,' May Ss'
1715 ;
and in 1720 at the King's Theatre as
;