THOMAS ATTWOOD.
Tins amiable man and accomplished musician died on Saturday last, at his house in Cheyne IValk, Chelsea; amid in employing towards hire the common epithets of " universally esteemed and regretted," we state but the simple and not the whole truth ; for he was as much admired as an artist as he was beloved as a man.
Mr. Arrw000 was born in 1767, and educated as a boy in the Cha-
pel Royal, under Dr. NARES. His niusical genius was intuitive : he had the good fortune to enjoy the instruction of the greatest master of his art, but no instruction could have made ATTWOOD what he was; lie was born a musician. Hs early and powerful indications of talent attracted the notice of GEORGE Prince of AVales ; who, to his credit be it spoken, sent his young protege to enjoy the advantage of Conti- nental travel and instruction, and especially to study under AIozater. In 1783 he went to Naples; and afterwards to Vienna, where he had the tare happiness of receiving instruction from the first of musicians. Mozser's opinion of his pupil is thus recorded in KELLY'S Rend- niscences—" Attwood, said that great composer, is a young man for whom I have a sincere affection and esteoin ; and I feel much pleasure in telling you that he partakes more of my style than any scholar I ever had. I predict his future eminence." ATTWOOD, as we have often heard him say, witnessed his master's triune:1i at the first per- formance of Le 2Vo:.7c di Figaro, and stood by him at the harpsichord on that occasion. In 1786 he returned to England ; in 1795 be suc- ceeded Mr. JONES us organist of St. Paul's ; and in the following year he was appointed composer to his Majesty's Chapels, on the death of Dr. Dueuts. The office of composer to his Majesty, it may be necessary to remark, had its origin in the reign of WILLIAM the Third ; and was crated at the instance of Dr. TILLOTTSON, then Dean of the Chapel Royal. Its duties are the composition of an anthem or service for the first Sunday in certain months of every year. Dr. Bsow was the first composer to his Majesty ; who was succeeded by WELDON, CROFT, GREENE, BOYCE, and Durum ; a list of honoured names—honoured in consequence of the rich and varied additions which they have made to our church music. Of these eminent men it may trimly be said, that they imparted dignity to the situation they held, rather than that they received it. The office lost nothing of its reputation in devolving upon Mr. Arrw000. Many of his services and anthems will be found in the choirs to which he was attached, bearing honourable testimony to his abilities as a church-writer. Mr. Aierw000's style of sacred composition,
though originally formed on the model of his English predecessors, partook of that of the German school ; but, like every thing that he wrote, it bore the stamp of his own elegant mind, and reflected his own habits of thought.
For several years he was engaged as composer to the theatres ; and
here, as well us in his sacred writings, we trace the school in which he had the good fortune to be educated. He was the first dramatic writer who introduced the German style of instrumentation into our theatres; but the attempt was made at too early a period. Their orchestras were little and their singers less accustomed to the employment he would have afforded them. The production of a grand opera, such as be was capable of writing, was not within the reach either of singers or , Players; and, probably, would not have been relished or approved by the auditors of that time. In his afterpiece of The Prisoner, he tried the experiment of introducing one of MOZART'S songs ; and, remem- bering the enthusiasm with which " Non piu andrai " had been re- ceived at Vienna, adapted it to English words for SLDGWICK ; but so little success attended the experiment, that he never repeated it. His other musical pieces were The Adopted Child, Time Sanuggkrs, The Castle 11 Sorento, ,St. David's Day, and The Mariners. When A TTWOOD returned to England, MOZART Was known there only by name. His sinfonias were yet unheard—his operas unknown. Arr- wool) arrived among his countrymen full of enthusiasm and admiration of his master ; but he found none to share, none to echo his feelings. His endeavours to procure a public performance of one of MozAer's sitifonias were vain. He had prevailed on some of the most celebrated instrumentalists of the day to try the Sinfonia in E flat ; but, after a few fruitless endeavours, the design was abandoned as hopeless. One only of the party was for persevering till they had accomplished it : the rest gave it up in despair. At this time ATTWOOD may be said to have centred in his own person the exclusive enjoyment of that pleasure which is now so universally diffused among his countrymen. lie predicted the future triumph of MozanT ; and he lived to witness and enjoy it. He was one of the earliest members of the Philharmonic Society, and for many years one of the conductors of its concerts. When volun- tarily withdrawn from his situation, it was still one of his greatest pleasures to attend the rehearsals and concerts ; and often have we seen the tear of delight glistening in his eye when listening to the perfect development of those mighty and majestic thoughts of which be had in some instances witnessed the birth.
His single songs and glees were remarkable for their pure, perfect, and graceful expression. He gave vent to his own feelings by compo. sition—not sitting down to hammer out something which might fit the words before him, but catching the spitit of poetry, and breathing into it a new power and a new charm. One of the most perfect adap- tations of music to words'is his " Soldier's Dream." His glees require a greater delicacy of handling than those of any other composer : and to those who personally knew not ATTWOOD, we could not present a more lively picture of his mind, or a correcter index to his habitual turn of thought, than his " Resignation" and his " Tear of sympathy." In his manners be had the polish which results from travel and ad- mixture with the best society, added to constitutional urbanity and suavity. If he commanded the respect, he also won the affections of all who knew him ; and by those who knew him most intimately he was best beloved. Ile was delighted to pour out of his abundant knowledge of his art to all who sought from him intercourse and in- struction. An acute and profound critic, he was at the same time a most indulgent and candid one. Whatever of merit appeared in any composition, he was quick to discern and pleased to commend; anxious to discover just ground of praise, rather than to drag defects or over- sights into prominent notice. His attachment to his profession was warm and ardent. He engaged in it from a love of his art which age had no power to enfeeble, and a devotion to all its noblest purposes, which remained with him to tire last.
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