Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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KOSEINGRAVE EOSELLEN 145
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His reputation was at this period so high that
on commencing teaching he might have gained
one thousand pounds a year, but an unfortunate
event reduced him to extreme distress. Among
Roseingrave's scholars was a young lady to
whom he was greatly attached, and whose
affections he had gained, but her father, who
intended to give her a large fortune, did not
approve of her marrying a musician, and forbade
Boseingrave his house. This disappointment
affected his brain, and he never entirely recovered
the shock. He neglected his scholai-s
and lost his business. He lived upon fifty
is the Lord ' and ' One Generation ') are
included in the manuscript collection of
Anthems in the Library of the Royal College
of Music. He was an enthusiastic admirer
of Palestrina, and is said to have adorned
the walls of his bedroom with scraps of paper
containing extracts from the works of that
master.
VOL. IV
He died on June 26, 1766, and is buried in
the churchyard of St. Patrick's Cathedral, in
the same grave with his brother Ralph. The
inscription on the tombstone adds that he died
in the 78th year of his age, ' a most celebrated
musician and accomplished man.' Although
an inscription added to this tombstone at a later
date (1802) states that his wife, Mrs. Jane
Roseingrave, is also buried there, this is incor.
rect, as the Jane Roseingrave in question was
the wife of the before -mentioned William
Roseingrave, who died in 1780, and is buried
in an adjoining grave. Thomas Roseingrave
does not appear to have been married.
The most important of his published compositions
are :—Fifteen Voluntaries and Fugues
pounds per annum, which his place produced,
and was often in indigence. . He was perfectly
rational upon every subject but the one nearest
his heart ; whenever that was mentioned he for the organ or harpsichord ; six double Fugues
was quite insane.'
for the organ or harpsichord ; the Opera
About the year 1737 he was compelled to
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Phaedra and Hippolytus ; eight suits of
give up the organistship, and lived for some lessons for the
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harpsichord or spinet ; six
time at Hampstead. Thence in about the cantatas (Italian words) ; the additional songs
beginning of 1753 he removed to Dublin, and duets sung with Scarlatti's Opera 'Narciso'
where he probably lived with his nephew, and twelve solos for the German flute with
William Roseingrave, a son of Ralph's, who thoroughbass for the harpsichord. He edited
wsis bom in 1725 and at this time (1753) held the ' Forty-Two Suits of Lessons for the Harpsichord
by Domenico Scarlatti,' prefixing an intro-
the OflSce of Chief Chamberlain of the Exchequer
Court.
ductory movement in G minor. L. M'c. L. D.
Mrs. Delany, in her memoirs, under date ROSEINGRAVE, Ralph (about 1695 to
Jan. 12, 1753, writes :— 'Mr. Roseingrave, who 1747), the youngest son of Daniel Roseingrave,
was sent away from St. George's Church on was bom at Salisbury, and received his musical
account of his mad fits, is now in Ireland, and education from his father. In 1718-19 Daniel
at times can play very well on the harpsichord Roseingrave petitioned the Dean and Chapter
{Oorrespondefnce, iii. 194). Faulkner's Dublin of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, to allow him
Journal of Feb. 3, 1753, contains an announcement
to resign the post of organist in favour of his
that 'the celebrated Opera of "Phaedra son Ralph, who appears to have been forthwith
and Hippolitus," composed by Mr. Roseingrave appointed Vicar-Choral, but did not formally
lately arrived from London, will be performed succeed his father as organist until 1726. On his
at the Great Music Hall in Fishamble Street, and father's death in 1727 he also succeeded him as
conducted by himself on Tuesday the 6th of organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, at
March. Between the acts Mr. Roseingrave will a salary of fifty pounds per annum. He appears
perform Scarlatti's "Lessons on the Harpsichord,"
to have written a good deal of church music.
with his ownadditions, and will conclude Eight of his Anthems and two Services in C and
with his celebrated ' ' Almand. " ' And in the same F are preserved at Christ Church, and some of
Journal of Feb. 27, we read ' Yesterday them are still sung there. Another anthem of
there was a public rehearsal of Mr. Roseingrave's his, ' God of Truth,' is published in HuUah's
Opera of " Phaedra and Hippolytus" at the great Part Music, and an old organ book in the
Music Hall in Fishamble Street, to % numerous possession of Mr. J. S. Bumpus contains a
audience, which met the highest applause, the Service of his in F with a setting of the
connoisseurs allowing it to exceed any musical Benedicite. He died in 1747, and is buried
performance ever exhibited here, in variety, in the churchyard of St. Patrick's Cathedral.
taste, and number of good songs.' One wonders The headstone mentions that his wife Sarah,
if the writer of this notice had been at the who died in 1746, and four of their children,
production of the Messiah ' ' in the same hall are buried with him, as are also his mother
eleven years earlier.
Ann Roseingrave, and his brother Thomas.
Two anthems of Thomas Roseingrave (' Great Ralph Roseingrave is sometimes mentioned as
having taken part as a soloist in the production
of the 'Messiah' on April 13, 1742, but Dr. J. C.
Culwick, in his pamphlet on the original Word
Book of Handel's ' Messiah' {\?>91), points out the
improbability of his having done so. l. M 'c. L. D.
ROSELLEN, Hbnki, son of a PF. maker,
born in Paris, Oct. 13, 1811 ; took second
PF. prize at the Conservatoire, 1827, and first
L